


Once Upon a Dream

by 2014banana



Category: Frozen (2013)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-29
Updated: 2017-02-09
Packaged: 2018-05-17 02:50:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 35
Words: 76,890
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5851288
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/2014banana/pseuds/2014banana
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Life spend with flashes of a former one, will fates eventually cross and bring peace to tormented souls? Takes place modern day with correlation to the original story.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I am in love with the idea of a modern Hans pursuing a modern Elsa, but still tied to their shared past in some way. I also was stuck on an airplane for a long time and was bored. I would be honored to know your thoughts! The title of the story comes from the waltz from Disney's Sleeping Beauty, which I don't own. Not my circus, not my monkeys...(same goes for Frozen)!

_I know you_

_I walked with you once upon a dream_

_I know you_

_The gleam in your eyes is so familiar, a gleam_

_Yet I know it's true_

_That visions are seldom all they seem_

_But if I know you, I know what you'll do_

_You'll love me at once_

_The way you did once upon a dream_

* * *

 

The first time he heard her name, he fell off the treadmill with a thud.

_She's real…_

Hans Westergaard had grown-up haunted by what he felt were scattered memories of a previous life, fleeting images and feelings that would surface periodically – much like déjà vu, but far more vivid. Just past his awareness lurked this sense that he was reliving a life in need of redemption, occasionally pieces of this puzzle were discovered and a wave of dread would crash over him for a heartbeat before he could release his next breath, then dissipate into the wind. Some of these moments, these threads of fate that would cross, were filled with happiness and joy; on his sixteenth birthday he was given a five year old colt, a handsome brown dun Norwegian fjord horse to keep at his family's home in Westchester County whom he greeted immediately as Sitron. He affectionately stroked his nose as he whispered into his ear, "It's been a long time, old friend." He had a love of fencing and swordplay, chess and military strategy, and Scandinavian history. And he despised giant snowmen.

Other threads and hints came in his sleep.

_Her, for one._

She would frequent his dreams, even as a small child he saw her, with giggles and snowball fights, sledding and skating. She had the fairest hair he had ever seen, bright blue eyes, always soft cool hands, and quiet calm melodic voice in her manner with a smile that could make him return one of his own. As he grew, she grew with him, joining him in his sleep as he aged. In his youth, she would be at his side as his brothers tormented him and he faced the torture they inflicted, offering him her reassuring presence that he would be okay. She would be with him as childhood adventures unraveled into adolescent desires, as hormones raced beyond his control, she would patiently guide him to discover himself and find relief in her. He wasn't always aware of her as he slept nor could he always remember the images, but as dreams slowly blurred with reality, while just on the cusp of consciousness he could hear her singing to him. As he transitioned to adulthood he was occasionally visited by her and strange dreams in which the world was frozen solid and he was left to save it from destruction. Or he would pursue her, now an ethereally beautiful young woman who was regal and distant and _cold_ and was terribly frightened and she controlled his fate. She would run from him, from everyone…across a frozen harbor with wooden ships scattered atop or in the ice, or into an endless dark forest during a snow storm to a castle made of ice where men would hunt her and he would have to stop them. Other times she stood regally in chains in a prison begging for him to "tell them to let me go," and "I'm a danger," to protect himself and those he was charged with. Occasionally, there was another young woman, one with strawberry blonde hair in pigtails, who chased him frustratingly - she seemed to prevent him from finding and saving and having _her..._ one dream the strawberry blonde froze solid next to a fire when he spoke cruelly to her. The most horrific of these ended in terror, her blood on his hands…he would bolt upright as he returned from sleep in a cold sweat with his stomach renching from the visions he was left with. There would be no returning to sleep on such nights.

He found himself romantically drawn to petite, blonde women with bright blue eyes, the colder and harder to get close to the harder he would pursue – but once he finally won the young girl's affection, his interest would wane. Women were not his priority. His drive and passion to earn the pride and admiration of his parents and to be respected as a leader by others wouldn't be deterred by the occasional act of emotionally unsatisfying passion. Besides, it was on those nights _she_ would return to his dreams with an icy storm swirling and transforming her into the most desirable winter creature he could never have, demonstrating to him how passion and desire and arousal could transform into a magic of the flesh leaving him to worship her and awake with an empty ache in his heart.

He never knew her name.

Although, she certainly knew his.

That is until he heard it escape the lips of someone reporting the latest celebrity news and gossip.

He sat where he had fallen at the base of the machine with the platform track still moving and others glancing back at him in surprise as they continued with their workout, his heart racing fast enough to make him lightheaded and his breath caught. He was lost momentarily, only aware of the images flashing across the screen as he stared at the TV mounted to the ceiling with his jaw agape as he _saw_ her, shoulders squared and proud and real.

_She's real…_

Her thick platinum hair was pulled back elegantly upon her head in a braided bun and she wore large framed sunglasses over ( _he was sure_ ) intense blue eyes, dressed in a beautiful conservative black dress with black heels and surrounded by paparazzi as she made her way to an awaiting car. His mind flickered between the images on the screen and a vision of her in a long sleeved gown fashioned from dark blue and purple velvet.

The ticker at the bottom of the screen told him she was in New York City, gossip and controversy surrounding her due to a self-induced isolation which followed the death of her parents just three days earlier. They had disappeared aboard a private jet which was presumed to have crashed into the sea, without a trace. At eighteen years of age, Elsa ( _Elsa...he whispered it just to taste it on his tongue),_ the Crown Princess of Norway, would be coronated _Queen of Norway_ following her twenty-first birthday _._

So there he was. Having just finished his first year of law at Yale, and having intended to follow in the footsteps of many other men of his name and enter a life of politics and law...

But now, on the eve of his twenty first birthday, as he sat as an undignified heap on the floor in a New Haven, Connecticut gym, with his purpose and place in the world coming to him as an epiphany. He rose from the floor and shook himself loose to hop back onto the treadmill - some of his best thinking was as his heart raced


	2. Chapter 2

_…Don't feel…don't feel…don't feel…_

She could feel the numbness starting in her fingertips, as if they were frostbitten.  Slowly climbing her arms to her chest, the numbness settled as a crushing pain in her heart as goosebumps attacked her flesh. Usually pacing the room (repetitively) relieved some of the anxiety.  Today it only seemed to escalate the frantic thoughts as they darted in and out of her head in a nonsensical manner.

_…DON'T FEEL…_

Her anxiety began to interfere with her life in childhood, incapacitating her at times from interacting in large groups or at social functions. Her parents did their best, under the scrutiny of the public eye they feared the media would begin to focus on Elsa and her anxiety, leading them to hide her disability from the outside world, even Anna.  They encouraged her to take time alone to calm herself, and when she was in control she would join them. As the years passed she withdrew further into her own world, refusing to speak to anyone about it, at one point a psychologist was called upon to evaluate her and try and help, just to be dismissed a short time later when Elsa refused to participate...

"It's who I am, I just need to be alone where I can't hurt anyone," she had said sadly.

_"Conceal. Don't feel it. Don't let it show."_

The relentless mantra her Father offered her became a nervous habit, playing over and over in her head sometimes.

_…DON'T FEEL…DON'T FEEL…_

She stopped suddenly in front of the floor to ceiling window which opened up to the breathtaking view of Manhattan, NY, wringing her fingers together to try and establish feeling in them, ANY feeling in them, praying that would snap her back to reality.

_…don't feel….don't feel…_

She focused on the Empire State Building and the falling rain, desperately trying to will it to snow. She released a loud agonizing cry as she fell to her knees, hoping that as she let go, the freeze that seemed to consume her would be released and she could breathe again.

It never did.

_Only in her dreams…_

Elsa had spent her life dreaming of winter, pure white and beautify choreographed flurries and ice that could dance and swirl - which she controlled like magic. It was seemingly linked to her emotions - racing and soaring and diving and growing at her whim. As long as she could remember her dreams were like this, even as a small child. When she was young, it was usually beautiful, artistic, glorious…but as she grew older she realized it could be horribly dangerous and destructive as well.

_Stronger than a hundred men..._

But there was one stronger.

He could stop the swirling spiral of her emotions as her anxiety and panic bested her and become destructive…

_With only his words._

She grew up with him in her dreams…dark red hair with green eyes like spring grass, skin fair and slightly freckled. He would visit her dreams with curiosity and wonder, as if he was in awe of her. The most striking thing was that he was never afraid of her or her magic; he was almost methodical in his manner – exactly what she needed to focus as the adventures played out in her sleep, like her perfect playmate – always in control. Anna would present him to her the same way each time, "May I present Prince Hans, of the Southern Isles", he would bow his head respectfully to her before she would snatch his hand, running off to play with laughter, leaving Anna behind. Not that she was malicious or meant to exclude her or that she didn't want Anna there; it was just that when Anna was with them on their adventures, she was always hurt by Elsa.

When she was young, the dreams usually had her building snowmen ("HI! My name is Olaf, and I like warm hugs!") and ice rinks and snowy hills to slide upon. Sometimes in these dreams Anna would jumped from each peak of the snow hills until she was leaping so fast and so high that Elsa couldn't conjure them fast enough to keep up any longer, no matter how hard she tried…the snow hills sequentially growing in size as Anna's excitement escalated until eventually the magic would strike Anna in the head and she would tumble unconscious like a ragdoll in to a snowy hill. The icy magic would overtake Elsa as she screamed with her anxiety growing, thankfully Prince Hans would stay by her side, comforting her and speaking calmly in her ear until her parents arrived to help.

As she grew older, he did as well, eventually catching her eye as a young woman and she found herself craving his attention physically.

Hormones and curiosity of her changing body and the male form grew leading her to explore him and what aroused her, but the emotions and magic became harder to predict during her dreams, turning quite dark and morose…correlating with the growing anxiety she felt, unable to control it in her real life. Prince Hans became far more complex than she could decipher each night – and incredibly handsome and gallant. He would kiss her hand, leading to a rush of intense heat throughout her body, then touch her cheek as he asked permission to kiss her – the ice and snow would vanish in a single breath as she felt his lips upon hers, passion escalating as she grew older. He would gaze into her eyes with such longing that she felt as if she was part of a fairytale…and he was her Prince Charming.

Anna aged in these dreams as well, beginning to pursue Hans like a love-struck school girl.

With Hans' attention upon Anna during these dreams, she felt the ice, the magic, the curse growing out of control and it would manifest as jagged ice and terrible snow monsters…Hans would appear just in time to stop her from doing the unthinkable. Her fear began to lead her to run, men with weapons chasing her, the storm inside projecting outward and growing and growing until it claimed the world around her. In these moments she would construct the most amazing structures made entirely of ice – bridges, castles, and even living snowmen. Her Prince would appear and stop the madmen hunting her and _could stop her, save her from herself._ The world would go black, she was unable to see anything around her or speak, but she could hear his calm commanding voice leading the men. She could feel herself lift in his arms, weightless like a child and nestled and protected and loved - held tightly to his chest with reassuring gentle words being whispered in her ear as his warm breath tickled her neck, the occasional gentle kiss to her temple…moments stolen as she rode with him on the back of his horse through the storm.

Elsa had been enamored with architecture as soon as she awoke from the very first dream she ever had that she constructed something with her ice. As her interest and passion grew, her parents felt she had a gift and should explore it – learn all she can. They arranged for her to attend school in the United States when she turned eighteen, and she had just finished the first year of her program in Architectural Design at The Parsons School of Design in New York, classes having ended for the summer just two weeks earlier. Her parents were flying from Oslo to bring her home for the summer when the plane disappeared.

She sat crumpled on the floor of the living room in her apartment in Greenwich Village, New York as she lost control and sobbed.

Anna had been trying to reach her for the last week, since the search for the wreckage was called off and preparations for the funeral service were being made for her parents.

Elsa wouldn't speak…couldn't speak...physically unable to speak. This left Anna, at the age of fifteen, alone to handle attending the services and the memorial ceremony during which two large granite slabs were erected atop a nearby mountainside to honor their memory, all alone.

"People are asking were you've been…please let me in. It's just you and me, what are we going to do?" Anna pleaded on the voicemail earlier that afternoon which triggered this particular anxiety attack.

With a stuttered gasp she looked at her trembling hands trying to visualize swirls of frost spiraling around and from her fingertips into the air, trying to let go…

_What am I going to do?_


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I preface this very short chapter with the following disclosures: I have no actual knowledge or understanding of New York City, Oslo (Norway), or the Embassy/Ambassador programs aside from what I can look up online. Accept my sincerest apologizes should I get something absolutely incorrect; feel free to clarify for me! I would like to know, really.  
> Just so we are all on sorta the same page thus far in the story:
> 
> Hans' goes to school at Yale Law, which is located in New Haven, Connecticut. I'm assuming most people are familiar with the prestige in this, if not, take my word for it, or watch "Legally Blonde" as it takes place at Harvard Law, another Ivy League top law school in the U.S. His family's primary residence is in Westchester County, New York, an extremely affluent area and he comes from "old money", lots of political pull and influence (and wealth…lots of wealth…like royalty).   
> Elsa is at school in New York City, earning her Bachelors of Fine Arts in Architectural Design (BFA) from The Parsons School of Design, one of the top schools in the U.S. for such a program. Manhattan…yes, very cool. And expensive. Her apartment would be suitable for royalty, not your average college freshman. Talking along the lines of $20 million. After all, she deserves the best. 
> 
> The residence of the Norwegian Consul General in New York is a part private, part official space the consulate uses for events and receptions intended to expand networks and cooperation between the United States and Norway. The residency hosts business related events that promotes Norwegian interests and products on the East Coast of the U.S. and is located in Midtown Manhattan, close to the United Nations and the Royal Norwegian Consulate General. The roof terrace covering is used when hosting receptions during summer months. Google it, it looks cool. You'll need this info later.
> 
> Holy, are you still here? 
> 
> Oh yeah, the story! 
> 
> And Hans swears. I apologize for his foul language in advance...dirty sailor.

It was two years later, and in a matter of moments, everything changed.

Their eyes met inadvertently, shocked blue and startled green, both staring in disbelief as breaths were held.

He blinked, for a heartbeat fearing the spell would be broken, but she remained where he had just seen her and her gaze was still fixed on him. He allowed his wide eyes to drop their gaze for a moment to take her in, she wore her hair in a loose braid which draped over her shoulder and from the angle he saw her at he couldn't see exactly what she wore. Hans' shoulders relaxed a fraction as he exhaled in relief to finally see her, _she's real_ _and here and why?_ Realizing how perplexed she looked…reflecting exactly how he felt - she stood with her jaw unhinged slightly and eyebrows pulled tightly together, Hans found himself unable to suppress the nervous laugh that threatened to escape and the pull of a smile. But when her _perfect lips_ quirked into a small smile ( _in response to his?)_ and her eyebrows rose high with her eyes blinking in wonder (at him!) he knew he was never going to be able to live out his life without her.

If he could just reach her.

_And fuck this stupid ship…_

Ensign Hans Westergaard stood at parade rest, in his summer white service uniform, manning the rails outside the bridge of the Guided Missile Destroyer that was commanded by one of his older brothers, Captain Harold Westergaard, having been invited to ride the ship into the harbor as part of Memorial Day kick-off to New York City's Fleet Week. He found himself seriously considering jumping overboard into the Hudson River to try and swim closer to where Elsa stood on one of the piers near a Kongelig Norske Marine (Royal Norwegian Navy) vessel of some sort (Hans couldn't even guess what kind of ship it was…it was big and appeared to be able to float. That was all the knowledge a member of the JAG Corps would be expected to know). She weakly lifted a hand and gave him a small cautious wave of her fingers, his heart racing as he broke into a genuine smile as he whispered " _Elsa"_ like a prayer into the breeze. He watched her say _something_ , and found himself removing his cover and bowing to her with a dramatic flourish without thinking, slowly lifting his head to allow his eyes to make contact with hers once more and watch her _perfect lips_ pull a smirk as her eyes twinkled when she nodded her head slightly in reply. As he straightened his posture, he could see out of the corner of his eye the officers standing next to him had turned their attention to him, and he could hear his brother's laughter somewhere in the background. He heard someone make a snide remark about the Ensign (presumably him) when someone else remarked, "That's the future Queen of Norway! What's her name? I see her sash!" Immediately the other men began to drop into staged bows, partly mocking Hans and partly to catch the attention of the young Crown Princess. Hans cringed, mouthing _"Sorry"_ with a remorseful expression just to see Elsa erupt into giggles, covering her grin with her hand and clutching her stomach.

The ship continued its transit past, Hans realized he would lose sight of her in a few moments and was at a loss as to what to do, being faced with helplessly allowing the moment to pass. He sadly raised his hand to wave, whispering "Good bye", and somewhere deep inside him he was relieved to watch her face fall as she shook her head " _No"._ She stood tall and still and beautiful as he lost sight of her…

_Fuck this stupid ship…_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, didn't want to add this part at the start of the chapter, but FYI (in case you are unfamiliar):
> 
> Fleet Week is a United States Navy, United States Marine Corps, and United States Coast Guard tradition in which active military ships recently deployed in overseas operations dock in a variety of major cities for one week. Once the ships dock, the crews can enter the city and visit its tourist attractions. At certain hours, the public can take a guided tour of the ships. Often, Fleet Week is accompanied by military demonstrations and air shows such as those provided by the Blue Angels. During the New York City Fleet Week, ships are docked at New York Passenger Ship Terminal on the Hudson River on the West Side of the borough of Manhattan and also at Stapleton in the borough of Staten Island. 
> 
> Manning the rails is when all the sailors stand at attention along the rails of the ship as it transits slowly, a sign of respect.
> 
> The Navy Judge Advocate General Corps Student Program ( JAG SP) permits law students to commission as Ensigns in the inactive Naval Reserve while attending law school. Upon law school graduation, passage of a bar examination and the completion of Officer Development School, SP participants serve on active duty for four years. 
> 
> So Hans would be an Ensign, and he would be required to serve out four years of service after passing the bar.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Butter-Bars" refers to the single gold bar insignia worn by an Ensign (O-1) in the US Navy.  
> I really wanted to include a quote from "A Few Good Men" in here, only because every US Naval Officer I have ever met seems to quote the line describing the summer white uniform from Jack Nicholson. This serves as a warning, there are a few vulgar words (not many, you'll see...it'll be fine)!

* * *

Hans was lost in thought, trying to reconcile his afternoon as he sat with his tall frame slouched against the back of the antique chair, still in his summer whites, glancing down the absurdly long dining table in his parent's "usual suite" at the Towers of the Waldorf.

He had spent the last two years allowing himself to get lost in the occasional romantic fantasy as he prepared and planned out how he would finally meet Elsa, but realistically it had to be somehow official and important and give him the opportunity to demonstrate to her that she _needed_ him as badly as he _needed_ her.

_Catching her eye and acting a fool while transiting past her on a warship, was never a fantasy or an actual plan._

He knew she was studying architecture in New York City, but had exerted extreme control over himself and his emotions as he resisted the urge - which usually surfaced as he awoke from a dream involving her - the urge to show up on her doorstep like an obsessed stalker, proclaiming her his rare and ethereal match and offer his devotion and affections based on years of dreams. _"I know in my soul that my heart must be yours…"_

No.

He avoided the City like the plague.

The rational part of himself maintained control while trying to reflect what he guessed, based off his research, she may want or look for in a husband (oh, yes...marriage. That is where he felt this was leading him, wanting badly to share the very air she breathed each night). He learned her native language in his spare time, becoming fluent enough to participate in political conversations with a few of the lawyers and lawmakers he had met who studied and worked closely with Norwegian and Scandinavian assets. He modified his emphasis in law school to International law after his first year (after his epiphany while on/off the treadmill) and sought out any opportunity or experience he could that would allow him access to someone who could formally introduce him to Elsa. Hans had even spent the last summer in Oslo, choosing a summer internship with the U.S. Ambassador to Norway over the U.S. Supreme Court clerkship slot he was offered (one of the lucky 36 chosen, his father had clerked for the U.S. Supreme Court once, thus his family didn't seem terribly impressed by Hans' acceptance. Hans had rolled his eyes at what his father had said, " _Law is such_ a _hierarchical profession. And clerking for the Supreme Court is perhaps the snobbiest, if you will, job in the profession.")_. He had allowed himself the guilty pleasure of fantasizing (almost daily) while he was in Oslo about accidentally meeting Elsa, but he learned _weeks after_ he arrived that Elsa had not returned to Norway since the death of her parents, speculation was that she would not return until her coronation…reasons for her isolation remained a mystery.

His father's laughter caught his attention, breaking Hans' thoughts as he met his father's gaze and noticed he wore an expression he had never seen, at least directed towards him. Approval? Maybe pride? "Who needs to clerk for a Supreme Court Justice when you can goof off in Norway and flirt with a future Queen, right Hans?" his father chuckled with a hint of mischief. He felt himself reflecting the smile his father wore as embarrassment crept up as slight flush on his fair complexion, realizing the conversation at hand was still about his antics towards the future Queen of Norway. He quickly took a long drink of his beer as a second was being placed in in front of him by a butler.

When the Westergaards (his parents) came to Manhattan, they only stayed at the Towers of the Waldorf Astoria hotel, in this particular suite. Hans sat with his parents at the elegant table, his brother Harold and his family, the twins and their respective spouses, his oldest brother, Christian, and his family including their oldest daughter, her husband, and new baby - the first great-grandchild. Even as Hans' mother sat cooing and holding the sleeping baby and the family enjoying cocktails and hors d'oeuvres **,** the topic of conversation was the 13th son and his idiotic display while manning the rails down the Hudson River in front of the Crown Princess of Norway and the other Norwegian Officials who happened to also be in town with the younger Princess, Anna.

Hans had not even noticed the crowd around Elsa when he saw her earlier.

He stared into the bubbles of foam floating atop the golden Pilsner he swirled gently, wearing a smirk. He didn't receive this much attention last week during his commencement ceremony and graduation from Yale Law.

As he took a sip from the crystal glass, listening quietly to Harold chattering, "And there's my baby brother, good-old "Butter-Bars", flirting with the Crown Princess from just off my bridge and earning a wave from her, making him the talk of the wardroom and the hero of just about every single Ensign throughout the U.S. Navy." Hans shrunk down a little lower in his seat as he emptied the glass.

Usually the phrase " _go big or go home_ " loses all meaning when you are the youngest of thirteen boys. If Hans was asked to reflect upon his life, there was literally nothing he had done that someone else in his family had not already accomplished except for being the youngest of 13 boys. He couldn't even fail bigger...for example, at the age of seventeen he found himself handcuffed, sitting in the back of a police cruiser being driven into the station for booking.

For breaking curfew.

It was 10:05pm when he was picked up.

Curfew laws go into effect at 10:00pm.

Simultaneously, the twins sat in a paddy-wagon on their way in for stabbing a guy at a house party.

Actually, he wasn't just "a guy".

He was their " _partner in crime_ ", a nickname given to him by Hans' father a few years earlier when the mischief began, Eugene Fitzherbert.

Hans' best friend.

And all this happened at the very same party that the twins had dragged Hans to that night.

His being picked up for violation of curfew laws was ignored by his family and the fine paid without question while his father called in a favor to one of his good friends who happened to be the District Attorney, to intercede with the " _Stabbington Brothers_ " (as his father began referring to _them_ as). Charges were dropped against the twins and the trio parted ways as unlikely friends. Later in life as the stories were told, it was never even mentioned that Hans was there or technically had a juvenile record resulting from the incident.

However, what Hans cherished with reverence as a precious memory of seeing _Elsa_ for the very first time in the flesh and interacting with _her_ , the woman of his dreams (literally…who had spent a _lifetime_ haunting his dreams), would seemly go down in infamy.

"One of the other Ensigns got it on his phone, I told him to send me the link when he posted it to YouTube!" Harold boomed with laughter.

Hans glanced up at Harold with a cocked eyebrow as he muttered sarcastically, "Brilliant. Tell him to send it to me, too."

* * *

_Oh no, he thought as he found himself unable to control his words or actions._

_No._

_STOP._

_DAMN IT, HANS!_

_He wore a mask with a smile, internally fighting a losing battle…_

_"We would like…your blessing…of our marriage!" He and Anna exclaimed in stuttered unison, each completing part of the sentence and ending in unison. He couldn't figure out why on earth he was arm in arm with Princess Anna and approaching Elsa, the newly crowned Queen, at HER coronation, for HER blessing of THEIR marriage._

_Did I propose?_

_What the HELL?_

_WHY ON EARTH would I do that?_

_He still wore the mask he put on earlier when he met Princess Anna in hopes of endearing himself to her so she could introduce him to the new Queen. He reached up trying to rip it off, finding it was physically stuck to him and he was unable to separate from it or its influence._

_Elsa appeared shocked and very hurt as she clarified what was just said, begging Anna to slow down and stop._

_NO…_

_He fought harder to remove the mask, the harder he pulled the stronger it became. He tried to explain to Elsa about the mask, but his voice was muted - too soft behind the mask and she was too upset and withdrawing and unwilling to listen as she began to shut the world out…Anna screaming at her, "WHAT ARE YOU SO AFRAID OF?!"_

_Elsa snapped, turning around sharply while jagged ice shot up around her in a protective circle as her bare hand that just moments earlier was so anxiously cradling to her chest, almost in fear, dramatically whipped around her as she finally raised her voice to be heard over Anna's, "ENOUGH!"_

_In that moment, time stood still._

_Elsa looked sadly into Hans' eyes as a wave of horror and embarrassment crept across her beautiful face, her eyes began darting anxiously around the room as she spun on her heel to flee out the ballroom door. And all he could do was stare dumbly while the mask forced him to remain at Anna's side as Elsa disappeared into the darkness. He looked down to the wall of ice in front of him, a physical manifestation of Elsa's shock…because of him._

_She conjures ice from her bare hands, beautifully dangerous magic and she's terrified of it…_

His cellphone ringing woke him, his eyes opening to the dark hotel room as he groped awkwardly at the nightstand until his hand found his phone. As he glanced at the screen, the number was unfamiliar so he silenced it as he set the phone down next to the alarm clock which read 4:20 am. Closing his eyes for a few moments, he was able to slip back into sleep before coming to again and rechecking his phone, no voicemail.

_Wrong number…_

His stared up at the ceiling in contemplation, curious as to the sudden change in Elsa tonight (this morning); Elsa had never done _that_ before. As he rubbed the sleep from his eyes, he reflected upon how Elsa had grown and revealed herself over the years in his dreams, slipping her secrets and his over time cryptically…of course the magic of dreams lay in the fact that the impossible becomes possible and that magic is uncontrollable, but Elsa had never conjured ice before. It was always cold when he was with her – wintertime. When he finally learned _who_ she was, (Elsa, the future Queen of Norway), the ice and snow made perfect sense in that context. He couldn't recall ever seeing her _create_ the winter. Perhaps this was simply a side effect of actually seeing her and her acknowledging his existence that triggered the change in his dream. With a groan he decided he was wide awake and pondering absurdity, and his mind would be better served with a cup of coffee and focusing upon all the studying he needed to get done to pass the bar exam next month.

* * *

"Who the _hell_ keeps trying to call me?" Hans muttered as he hit the button to accept the call from the unfamiliar number. "Hello?" he grunted as he shoved the phone between his ear and shoulder, placing his pen in the center of the thick open book and clicking save on the document he was working with on his laptop. He was sitting on the terrace of the suite, enjoying the distraction of the warm breeze and failing miserably at focusing upon all the studying he was trying to throw himself into.

"Dude, you need to be nicer. I keep telling you that you need to get laid or something, and you should to heed my advice because I really don't appreciate your tone."

"Eugene?" Hans asked very confused as he glanced back at the phone to double check the phone number.

"Yah, and what's up with you? Are you screening your calls or something, I've been trying to reach you all day."

"Only calls coming from strange numbers in the middle of the night who don't leave a voicemail," Hans replied curtly.

"Okay, I suppose I could have left you a message, so my bad. Blondie lost my phone yesterday somewhere at the airport and it's being mailed back to me…I had to call you from work."

"I have your work number, this isn't it," Hans sighed.

"Dude, what are you, a lawyer or something? Wait, don't answer that. I'm the lawyer, you're not. Yet. Anyway, I'm back at work in Corona, I made it back yesterday, you remember, Blondie and I flew out for your graduation from beauty school and had to come back to Germany afterwards."

Hans chuckled as he stood to stretch, walking back into the suite and to the kitchen for a beer. "Yes, it was good of you to fit me into your schedule, seriously. It meant the world to me to have you and the _Stabbington Brothers_ there to support me." He opened the large stainless steel gourmet refrigerator and shoved boxes and produce aside to grab a bottle of some sort of craft beer, glancing at the label before deciding and shutting the door.

"Well, maybe next time you'll be able to talk yourself out of a ride in a police cruiser."

Hans rolled his eyes as he searched for the bottle opener in a kitchen drawer with the beer shoved into the back pocket of his jeans. Quietly, one of the chefs walked over to him and presented him with a bottle opener and a chilled glass – Hans accepting it gratefully with a nod while mouthing "THANK YOU."

"Is there a reason you're calling, Eugene? What about that stack of contracts you said you had waiting for you? You know, from the German Consulate that only YOU could to go through. Let me guess, you just signed them without reading them."

"Nah, they're here and waiting. But I needed to congratulate my best friend on his success on his brother's boat! No, ship? Harold is so picky over the nomenclature...I have trouble remember which one makes him mad. I think he commands a ship, thus, I must refer to it as a boat. Nuance, really."

Hans chuckled again at the comment, having made the same mistake yesterday as he boarded the SHIP, but referring to it as a BOAT. Harold, horrified, replied "Does she look like she dives underwater to her death? She's a fucking SHIP, Hans."

"And may I quote a line from Jack Nicholson in _"A Few Good Men";_ you standing there in that faggoty white uniform and your Harvard mouth...the video of you being an ass has gone viral and is all over Europe, I literally did a spit take with my coffee when I got off the plane and saw it on one of the TVs. I can totally hear Harold laughing in the background of it; you're never going to live that one down!"

The bottle of beer slipped from his hand and went skittering across the countertop before he could regain control of himself.

Hans stood silently for a full minute, unable to speak or move.

"Dude, I'm so sorry. I apologize for offending those of the homosexual persuasion by insinuating that they look like you if they were to wear that awful white uniform. I know that was horrible language and terribly offensive and I promise I will have Blondie wash my mouth out with soap for saying it. And I am so sorry for referring to your undergraduate college and not your law school. That Yale mouth of yours, I should have said. But the line says Harvard and you went to Harvard…never mind, I didn't mean to upset you, Hans. Seriously." Eugene said softly, with absolute sincerity.

Hans blinked, taking a deep breath as he pinched the bridge of his nose and screwed his eyes shut. "No, not that, Eugene. I already know you are an asshole, that's why I love you, man. It's the part...that there is a video...running rampant across Europe that could embarrass Elsa and…"he trailed off as he spoke.

"Who's Elsa?"

Hans' eyes flew open as he slammed his fist onto the countertop in frustration, "I'm sorry, I have to go before I make a bigger fool of myself. Tell Rapunzel I said hello."

"No, Hans, seriously! Who's Elsa?"

"The beautiful blonde woman who will soon be Queen of Norway," mumbled Hans, embarrassed beyond belief.

"You're on a first-name basis with her already? Wow, that's bold, dude. Pretty sure royalty stick to their titles like glue."

Hans dropped the phone onto the countertop in front of him and hit the "end" button.


	5. Chapter 5

The bizarre flutter of emotions in the pit of Elsa's stomach left her just as perplexed as the possibility of Hans' existence - it was something she had never considered. The possibility – no. _The revelation_ that he was physical and flesh and somehow is her fate made the precious moment truly surreal...and she desperately craved more.

He looked just how she would have imagined him if she could have conjured him out of thin air (a notable difference was his lack of sideburns). He held himself in formal lines with the same grace, and appeared to be the same age as she dreamt him. The way he seemed to catch his breath when he saw her and how his eyes widened with his smile - his entire face seamed to reflect the startled excitement she felt.

_Did he recognize me? Could he possibly know who I am?_

She had to pause and shake her head slightly at that thought, she found most men in her age group, especially the longer she was in New York, seemed to recognize her...a curse for someone who wishes for nothing more that anonymity.

She spent the rest of the afternoon very distracted but quick to smile and laugh, such a change from her usual stoic demeanor that Anna had even commented with a giggle about her jovial disposition. Anna had been stunned when she noticed Elsa flirting with the sailors aboard the U.S. Ship that had passed; she had never known Elsa to interact so informally in public, or in private for that matter. They weren't terribly close as sisters; she never spoke to Elsa about anything other than her studies or her health, or about charity events or volunteer work. Anna watched Elsa curiously for the rest of the afternoon, realizing she had no idea if Elsa had ever been on a date or was even interested in romance - she recognized Elsa was extremely introverted, painfully so, challenging for any relationship (even sisters).

* * *

_He returns again in her dreams…_

_A gentle euphoria washed over her as her eyes met his, soft smiles and subtle waves across a dimly lit and crowed ballroom, party goers dressed in beautiful gowns and tailored suits. She glanced down for a moment to study her gloves, nervous at attention, only to look back and discover he had disappeared._

_Startled, she began searching him out through the crowds, anxious to avoid having to speak with anyone as she passed, or accidently brush up against someone as she did not like to be touched. Her heart began to thud in her chest and her fingertips began to tingle as she felt her breath quicken… the initial sensations of panic starting to set in._

_Don't feel it…_

_She glanced back to where she had been standing and finds him there, shoulders squared and chin raised as he looks for her in the crowd. She found herself trying to catch his attention, but was frozen in place – unable to move or speak. She watched he made his way into the crowd until she couldn't see him any longer, obscured by the dim lights and gathering people._

_Don't feel it…_

_Her throat tightened as she tried to hold back the tears that she felt threatening her, but then remembering that Anna must introduce them she was suddenly free from her trap and could move again. She spent the rest of the dream searching unsuccessfully for Anna as her anxiety escalated and eventually engulfed the room in flurries of snow and fractals of ice – she ran out to the garden and gasped a sobbing cry as she collapsed to the ground, freezing the earth and grass beneath her._

_"Your Highness, shhhh…please, no need for tears." Hans said gently as he knelt by her side and took her into his arms, tucking her head gently under his chin as he spoke. "You must realize I cannot come to you without invitation, court protocol prohibits me from seeking you out as you of higher station than I. Understand that everything, my entire being, is calling me to you, but I am unable to seek you out. Promise you will request an audience. That you will find me."_

Her dreams began to evolve into ardently erotic games of hide and seek, each night she was rewarded passionately for finding Hans before having to request an audience with him _(why did this never occur to her before?),_ awaking with panting breath as she lay quite embarrassed that she was recovering from an erotic dream.

* * *

It wasn't until a few days later Elsa's newest obsession presented itself to her - YouTube.

She sat in her living room with her laptop working out some new designs for a drafting project she was toying with and was incredibly frustrated with her inability to focus. Her mind insisted on imagining Hans - real and here and the possibilities that lay with that fact.

With a frustrated groan she closed her laptop, deciding that it was too late at night and she was too distracted to work and needed chocolate ice cream – surely Anna would agree. She searched Anna's room and the entertainment and game rooms before finally finding Anna parked on the countertop of the kitchen with her iPad and chortling at something with a spoon hanging out her mouth (and a container of ice cream in her lap).

"Hey! Save some for me," Elsa grinned as she approached her sister, hopping onto the center island across from her.

Anna nearly choked as her laughter escalated, tears streaming down her cheeks as she tried to wipe them away.

"Anna, what are you laughing about? It must be good, you're practically incapacitated," Elsa mused.

"Whew – yeah! Oh my goodness, you have to watch this! Did you know you have a video that has gone viral?" Anna exclaimed as she tossed the spoon into the ice cream and dumped the container next to her, handing the iPad over to Elsa to hit play.

Elsa suspiciously eyed the extended hand and device, "Anna, I _don't_ have any videos on the internet, so why would one go viral? Whatever it is, it isn't real…must be edited."

"Nope! I was there! That ship with all the crazy sailors bowing to you, one of them got it on video from their perspective, it's too cute!" Anna insisted as she waved the iPad in front of Elsa.

"NO!" Elsa gasped as she grabbed it, pressing play to immediately be rewarded with a glimpse of Hans' profile as he dropped into a formal bow, his arm clutched tightly to his chest holding his cover as he dropped his head with reverence, then gazing back up to her with a charismatic pull of a smile as he slowly stood erect…leading to the others around him quickly following suit as the camera panned over to her laughing (very undignified…she was immediately embarrassed) before returning to film the other sailors along the entire length of the ship also bowing.

"Who is he? I look ridiculous, by the way," Elsa whispered with a dazed expression.

"I don't know but I bet I could find out. After all, I'm an 18 year old woman - technology and social media and I are one…"

Elsa chuckled, "Anna, you are still 17, but I have faith you could figure it out."


	6. Chapter 6

The bright morning sunlight was streaming through the grand window and shone on the ice blue silk drapes, bringing warmth and making the library come alive. Elsa's white Persian cat, Olaf, rolled lazily onto his back with his paws relaxed to the sides in a ray of sun that warmed the ivory carpet. Olaf yawned as he stretched, then remained perfectly still as he enjoyed the sun – anywhere in the apartment there was something warm he could be found; near the radiators in the winter, on the plush blanket thrown over the sofa, the rays of sun as they shone through the windows. Elsa crouched down to scratch his chin, "Good thing you aren't made of snow, little guy, I fear you'd melt with your love of all things hot."

"He will certainly hate Norway then, won't he, Your Highness? I have to confess, I love home but much prefer the climate here. It will be an adjustment to return."

Elsa smiled as she turned her head to the doorway, seeing the very short, portly, and round elderly man holding an ornately carved wooden cane and his hat in his hand, his hair somewhat disheveled from its prior confinement under the hat. "That it will be, Dr. Pabbie, I absolutely agree about it being an adjustment, but I miss the winters back home." She sighed as she stole a glance out the window for a moment. "Good morning, Doctor, how are you?" Elsa greeted as she rose to approach the older man as he entered the library of her apartment. "I'm so sorry we had to cancel our last appointment, I was working on my exercises with Anna like you had recommended and she had an event that conflicted. Please accept my apologies."

Dr. Pabbie was an old psychiatrist from Norway; he had worked with Elsa as a young child before coming to the Unites States to pursue further research in anxiety disorders and therapy techniques, and worked in New York City. It was the fact the he was in the City and agreed to take Elsa as a private patient in her home, discreetly without any indication that he was providing therapy or care, influenced the late King and Queen to allow Elsa to move away from the castle and to school years earlier. He had made immense progress with Elsa, almost like magic, without the need for medications (as other psychiatrists had insisted would be needed if Elsa would ever be successful interacting in society). "No, no, my dear…that's fine. How did it go with Anna, may I ask?"

Elsa turned to walk to the armchair she usually sat in as they talked, she could feel the blush rising on her cheeks and she turned to sit and brought her fingers to her face to rub the skin as if to try and erase the pink which she was sure was starting to bloom. "Um, it went well…really well. Anna had even mentioned to me how engaged I was as I interacted with others, and ignoring the crowds that were around us from time to time. I enjoyed myself for the first time, in forever."

Dr. Pabbie smiled warmly as he sat down across from her on the leather sofa, resting his hat next to him and propping his cane up along the arm of the sofa. He looked up at Elsa still smiling, "Where did you go with Anna this time, were you out for long?"

"The parade of ships for the kick-off to Fleet Week.  The Embassy had arranged a reception hosted by a Kongelig Norske Marine ship, we were pier side for the afternoon, a couple hours," she could feel the blush rising further as she spoke, she dropped her eyes to look at her entwined fingers resting in her lap, suddenly wishing for frost bloom to combat the warmth in her face. She chuckled as she glanced back to Dr. Pabbie, sharing the events of the afternoon and the sailor she was sure he was Hans, and how she felt. She even spoke to the past week and her scattered thoughts and somewhat more gregarious nature. She confessed to being horribly preoccupied with the idea of meeting the young man, and how Anna had found the video on YouTube. "It's asinine, I know this. But I can't stop the thoughts or feelings that have arisen with having seen him. I don't feel anxious about going out and interacting if it means I may find him, the irrationality of it all has left me so perplexed."

Dr. Pabbie leaned back against the sofa with a laugh, "Your eye has found something to unlock your heart, and it sounds you seem surprised but that."

Elsa found she lost her smile, her eyes widening slightly, "I don't know, it's more than that. The dreams have begun to change, as well. Anna no longer presents him to me, "Prince Hans of the Southern Isles" as it has been for as long as I can remember; which has been a lifetime. He's asking me to find him, the snow and ice have been non-existent as well…I haven't frozen Anna in over a week, I haven't frozen anyone or been attacked, either. This is absurd, and psychotic, but I feel he is real and somehow my fate is linked to his."

They sat in silence for a few minutes, giving her time to think and process her thoughts.

"So you feel that your anxiety and fear of being in groups of people and being focused upon has begun to dissipate with the possibility of finding the boy, Hans, whom you have dreamt of, and the physical manifestation of your anxiety in your dreams, as the ice and snow, recedes with the weakening of the fear? If I understand what you have said, you are unwilling to allow your fear of others to interfere with what you feel your heart wants. Your head, your mind, which has controlled your fear, is losing control to your heart? " Dr. Pabbie repeated back her words to give her opportunity to listen to what she was trying to communicate, to understand.

"Yes," Elsa said quietly as she slowly exhaled and her mind racing after bizarre threads.

* * *

Why Anna had wanted a masked ball to celebrate her eighteenth birthday, Elsa would never understand but didn't argue because when Anna declared last year that she wanted to spend her next birthday with her sister, at a ball, she knew she had to figure out how to make it work.

Anna was excited to hold a party in New York City, to stay with Elsa for the summer.  When Anna suggested, "The guests can just wear masks and no one will know who you are, Elsa. No one will wonder if you need to leave early, because you'll be in disguise!" Elsa scoffed, but then realized it was a perfect plan and was forced to concede. It was arranged and held at one of the grand ballrooms of the Waldorf Astoria Hotel, and the Royal Suite reserved for the Princesses at the Towers.

The sisters arrived earlier that afternoon to "relax", Anna squealing in excitement as their cousin, Rapunzel, surprised her all the way from Germany to attend the birthday celebration (Elsa had arranged). Rapunzel was a couple of years older than Anna and a kindred spirit to Anna in many ways, and they had grown up occasionally getting to see each other when their mothers visited. Rapunzel giggled, "Eugene would be so frustrated right now with our energy and "girly nonsense", but I wish he could have come. We were just stateside a couple weeks ago for his best friend's graduation from Law School and he couldn't take any more time off of work, but I suspect that was just a story to avoid having to get dressed up for a formal occasion such as a Princess birthday party. He hates this stuff."

Elsa found herself staring into mirrors with visions of snowflakes dancing in elegant flurries everywhere she looked for the rest of the day. She felt anxious, but very different then her usual sort of panic, and it was very disconcerting.

But as she stood on the edge of the filled dance floor watching hundreds of guests dressed elegantly with ornate masks hiding their faces, she felt ridiculously foolish. She wore a light blue sheath dress made from beautiful silk with hundreds of tiny crystal beads sewn into a shear layer which felt over the back and side of the gown from the top, the same shear fabric used to create the long sleeves which left her shoulders exposed. Her shimming light blue umbrae mask attached with a matching string of crystal beads into her up-do and plait. Anna wore a beautiful teal green velvet gown, off the shoulders, with her hair pulled back elegantly into a bun with a matching velvet and beaded mask secured by a dark ribbon.

Just as the party started, Rapunzel's husband appeared – surprising everyone. He explained that he "Couldn't allow another man the opportunity to dance with my beautiful wife, what if that no-good-best-friend-of-mine should show up?" as he gazed at her with a smoldering look and whisked her by the hand onto the dance floor, Anna swooning at the sight. Anna had been careful to stay near Elsa's side for the first hour of the party, smiles and giggles while shoving sweets into her mouth but eventually couldn't resist the temptation to escape Elsa's arm with a young man who spoke with a thick Norwegian accent, wearing a reindeer mask, and introduced himself as Kristoff.

Elsa sighed as she walked out to the moonlit terrace, a few party guests sat outside chatting and laughing and the music and energy of the party wafted outdoors into the cool night air. She approached the railing of the terrace lost in thought and with a soft exhale she rested her hands carefully upon the cold metal carvings of the rail. She suddenly paused, feeling a rush of emotion and adrenaline pulse through her chest to her fingertips – like being lit ablaze. She could _feel_ the very moment his eyes fell upon her as her breath quickened and she remained frozen in place. She blinked and tilted her head slightly and found him standing beside her, tall and regal, with wide eyes that were green like spring and staring into her soul.

_It's him!_

He whispered her name, so quiet she could barely hear his voice, _but it was his voice._

He spoke quietly in Norwegian as he came closer, "Your Highness, please forgive my informality and the breach in etiquette, but I could resist no longer. My name is Hans Westergaard and your sister, Princess Anna, invited me to the masked ball with hopes to introduce me to you," his voice trailing off as she turned herself to face him. 

Elsa found herself speechless, lips quirking into a bewildered smile as her heart raced.

_Hans Westergaard._

_Prince Hans._ _Prince Hans, of the Southern Isles?_

He cautiously stepped closer and took her hand gently, "May I?" he questioned, still in Norwegian.

Elsa honestly didn't hear him, mind frozen on his name.

She nodded her head slightly, her breath held as his lips brushed the back of her hand gently and a surge of _something foreign, like magic_ rushed across her flesh and she felt a _boom_ in her chest causing her eyes to blink wide at his as they lifted through beautifully lidded eyelashes in a heated gaze. She smiled helplessly as his other hand brushed her cheek, pulling himself close enough to share the same air, "May I?" this time in English as the green of his eyes became obscured by the black of his pupils.

Hearing him that time, and feeling as if she were a magnet being pulled straight into his arms, her response was to close the space between them and rake her trembling hand into his hair.  Almost as if driven by instinct, she pulling him to her and pressed her mouth to his – with a surge of _something foreign, like magic,_ she found herself lost in the feel of his lips on hers. 

Her mind went gloriously blank before painfully vivid images of a prior life lived causing her to yank away with a cry…


	7. Chapter 7

_It was a few days before the birthday ball…_

"Wait, what? Eugene, you can't be serious," Hans groaned as he spoke on his cell while staring at masks at a local costume shop. "How has the fact that your wife is a cousin of the Norwegian Royal family never been mentioned before now? Especially after I spent last summer in Norway! I knew it was a mistake to say anything to you about the invitation from Princess Anna."

"Don't get your panties in a bunch, Hans. Blondie doesn't make a big deal of it because she was raised away from it. She didn't even mention it to me until after we had been together for a while and she asked me not to bring it up unless someone else did…which you didn't. It's called _discretion,_ we lawyers are good at it – remember that when you take your bar exam next Monday _._ Anyway, Blondie is the kindest, most open, most down to Earth person I've ever meet; I didn't marry her so I can live in a castle. Although, you might as well know, we are moving into a castle when it's time for babies...if she gets babies, I get a castle…I've decided."

A faint sound could be heard in the background, followed by an "Ouch!" from Eugene. "Okay, I may have neglected to run that last bit past my wife first. Put down the frying pan, my love..."

Hans smirked as he lifted up a stiff white fabric mask with olive green and gold metallic trim along the sides, one that would only cover his upper face. He decided forgoing the whole _"Phantom of the Opera"_ look would be best, a simple mask would be the least ridiculous looking thing he could select, given he had chosen to wear his white Naval mess dress uniform to the masked ball.

"Sorry about that.  Anyway, where were we?" Eugene said quickly as he return to the phone.

"You were being an ass. I was regretting sharing anything with you."

"Ah, yes," he continued, disregarding the snide comment, "As I was saying before you so rudely interrupted me, Princess Elsa made arrangements for Rapunzel to fly out and stay the week with Princess Anna in New York for that birthday party ball thing - that sounds horrible, by the way. I told her I couldn't get the time off of work so I wouldn't have to put up with the Princess and tiara nonsense."

"Hm, of course you did. But now you're having a change of heart with the possibility of seeing me make a fool of myself because an eighteen year old girl has decided to take an interest in me?" Hans sighed as he took the mask to the register to make his purchase.

"Nope, because a seventeen year old girl has taken an interest in you," Eugene replied sarcastically.

"She claims it is to introduce me to her sister, who evidently wants to meet me," Hans said with disbelief (and pride) as he left the store and began the walk back to the hotel.

"Of course she does, and who wouldn't want to meet you? Am I right? Now if you're done with the whole kissing yourself 'cause you're so pretty business, I want your help to surprise Blondie. I thought I could fly out after she left and show up at the ball with you - simultaneously backing you up. Or were you just going to show up all by yourself, walk up to Princess Elsa and sweep her off her feet? At least being there with her cousin's husband gives you some credibility. And, when she shuts you down, I can be there to get you drunk."

Hans laughed at that, "I'll call that _Plan B._ No, I was totally caught off guard by Princess Anna's phone call and the courier who hand delivered the invitation to me two hours later to think further ahead. I'm supposed to be studying this week…and amidst all this my parent have decided to go back home early leaving me all by myself at the suite at the Towers for the next week, so come stay with me. You and Rapunzel are more than welcome and there is plenty of space."

"I think I may be taking you up on that offer, but she'll likely stay with the Norwegians, that whole family thing rather than hanging out with the husband's lousy friends." Eugene laughed. "Oh, better run, Blondie's getting suspicious."

"No worries, just text me your flight info when you have it, see you in a few days, man. Be safe."

"Thanks, you too."

_This was unexpected._

The years of diligent preparation, extensive education, and personal reflection he committed himself to so he could demonstrate to Elsa that he was _everything_ she may want in a man brought him to this moment.

Just to be completely forgotten.

He felt a surge of something _, like magic,_ course through his veins as his lips met her flesh, accompanied by an exquisite euphoria he had never felt before in his life as he kissed her hand tenderly. He found himself hopelessly lost in her eyes as he looked up at her, causing him to forget to speak in Norwegian as she cast her spell over him. Her vivid blue eyes widened with her smile - she appeared just as affected as he was, empowering him to be bold - _the Westergaards never got anywhere by being timid…_

It was the magic of a true love's first kiss, poetical he was sure, but he felt it the moment his lips were pressed to hers. His intention was to profess himself her perfect match through the religion of her mouth – and she was more than ready to testify as she pulled him to her rather than refuse him, his mind going blank as he felt a jolt in his chest. In the next moment, his mind was flooded with striking images - dramatic memories and a horrid sense of reality being warped – but the second her fingers caressed through his hair the feeling faded and he realized _this is right, this is where I am meant to be._

Elsa suddenly pulled out of his embrace with a quiet cry and leaned against the railing, but was still close enough that with only a subtle movement he could retrieve her back into his arms once more. The hand that had just been tenderly entwined in his hair had suddenly became as cold as ice and left a chill on his scalp – she pulled back, curling it carefully to her heart while her other hand grasped the railing of the terrace, her eyes still closed and her mouth slightly agape. Hans' eyes darted to the metal railing next to her hand and in the moonlight he was sure he saw fractals of frost shimmering under her fingertips.

_Is that…frost?_

He blinked the startling thought away as he watched the frost melt quickly with the warm breeze.

_Curious…_

"I'm so sorry, Elsa, that was idiotic and far too bold. Please believe me when I say I didn't mean to frighten you. Please forgive me," he managed to whisper in Norwegian as her eyes flew open and looked at him very confused. He leaned forward slowly, as not to startle her, and gently took her elbow and supported her as she stood tall again, the moment he touched her he felt the subtle surge of the magic pass between them – as did she, judging by the star-crossed stare she had fixed upon him.

"I…I'm fine. I'm sorry, sorry, I didn't mean…" Elsa stammered as she looked down at her fingers, rubbing the pads of her fingers against her thumbs, perplexed. She glanced back at the railing where her hand had been, the metal appeared moist in the dim light. She cautiously trailed a finger through it with her head turned, preventing Hans from seeing her expression. Her head snapped back to him, her eyes darting frantically until they seeming landed on his by accident, "Forgive me, um…" she stammered again as her tongue darted out to taste her lips, the movement leaving him desperate to kiss her again, but not daring to for fear of her running.

_Because if this were a dream, this would be when she decides to flee…_

Instead she stilled, pulling herself tall while raising her chin as she composed herself in the blink of an eye.

He found himself surprised and absolutely mesmerized by her as she whispered quietly, "Hans? How did you do that?"

He felt the smile spreading as he replied, "I don't know, but you felt that, too?"

Her face softened, beginning to mirror his as she dropped her gaze to somewhere over his shoulder while she seemed to decide her reply. She stayed perfect and still and lost in thought for a few moments before her eyes blinked wide and darted about until landing back on his, nodding her head once very slowly.

 _Thank goodness,_ he thought as his posture relaxed for a breath before he hopelessly murmured, "Do you know who I am?"

Her chin drops, expression hidden as she replied cautiously, "No…I don't."

He exhaled slowly through pursed lips to himself, "That, that… _sucks_ ," He crossed his arms in front of his chest and he dropped his head. They stood for a moment in silence before he glanced up at her sadly.

"But, uh, is there somewhere we could speak? Privately? Alone? Please?" she said with almost confused urgency, lifting her chin to glance around the terrace. The few guests lingering in the moonlight seemed to have thus far ignored them.

He found himself nodding, one too many times, "Of course, Your Highness. Where ever you like." His mind raced trying to think of a secluded spot he could take her this time of night that wouldn't be viewed as inappropriate, suspecting that inviting her back to his room... _that_ would fall under the category of inappropriate.

"I am staying in the Royal Suite at the Towers, could you join me there in an hour?” Elsa said shyly, “I will make sure my steward is expecting you, if you are amenable?"

As if he could refuse her.

"Yes, until then, Your Highness," he replied with a pull of a smile as he gently took her hand in his, eyes requesting permission to press his lips to her flesh once more. She returned his smile and dropped her chin to her chest for a moment before quickly rising to her toes and kissing his cheek before turning on her heel and walking back into the ballroom, pausing momentarily to glance back at him, illuminated by the moonlight and appearing to be made of snow and ice and the most perfect women he had ever seen.

_Like a beautiful Snow Queen._

An astonished smile crossed his lips as he stood firmly in place watching her as she disappeared into the crowd.

_This was unexpected._


	8. Chapter 8

"I'm back," Eugene whispered in Rapunzel's ear as he came up behind her while she stood with Anna at the desert table looking at the birthday cake. He glanced around, "Wait…where is Hans? I left him with you."

Rapunzel turn to look up at him slightly confused, then looked through the crowd on her tip-toes, "Oh, I'm not sure. He was here a few minutes ago – but Anna took a break from dancing and we started talking. He must have wandered off."

Eugene cocked an eyebrow as he said flatly, "You lost him. Come on, you promised…"

"He's not lost, he's just not right here. He's a big boy, Eugene. I'm sure he's safe," she replied with a giggle.

Resting his hands on his hips, he leaned forward to whisper in her ear, "I'm sure he's safe, too. I just want to make sure he doesn't do something stupid."

That made Rapunzel laugh harder than it should have, "Like what? Going into the wrong restroom? Forgetting what fork to use for dessert? Get mixed up with ruffians or thugs?"

Eugene looked at her exasperatedly and she took it as a cue to continue guessing, "Conjugating verbs incorrectly? Demonstrate how bad he is at differential equations? You have to give me a hint!"

Anna began giggling at that.

"You are a terrible wingman, you know that, Blondie?" his voice raising an octave as he huffed.

"Well, I'm a wing-woman, not a wing-man! And we just have very different styles!" she exclaimed, far too joyfully for his souring mood.

_Hans couldn't have gone too far, he hasn't even met Elsa yet. Wait…no…no…no…no…he wouldn't, would he?_

"Has anyone seen Princess Elsa? Birthday girl, where's your sister?" Eugene asks quickly as his eyes dart into the crowded dance floor.

Anna looks in the direction of the terrace, "She had stepped out to get a little fresh air while ago when I started dancing…wait, no, she's back inside." Anna smIsles brightly and waves her arm up over her head excitedly to get Elsa's attention.

Eugene rolled his eyes, kissing Rapunzel on the cheek as he whispered to her, "Please help me out here, I'm trying to help Hans meet your cousin and not look like an idiot. I'll be back when I track him down."

Rapunzel smIsles smugly as she crossed her arms in front of her, "Of course. By the way, he's out on the terrace. He just texted me back. When I make a promise, I never, _ever_ go back on it."

He chuckled as he pulled her back to him for a quick kiss, "Ever."

He begins quickly walking across the ballroom to the outdoor terrace, as he approaches the open doors he sees Hans. Grabbing two flutes of champagne off a passing tray being carried by a waiter, he finds himself disappointed as he gets closer to Hans – finding him standing with his back to the ballroom and leaning his arms on the railing, his head dropped.

_Crap…he would. Damn it, Hans, I love you but you are freakin' idiot._

He clears his throat as he stops beside Hans, the sound causing Hans to turn his head slightly and catch Eugene out of the corner of his eye. "I can't help but notice you are standing out here looking, well, a bit lost. Good sir, if you're thinking of jumping you may want to reconsider…I brought champagne! If it's time to commence the drunk-fest, I bet we could find a good karaoke bar around here - you could sing while you drink, you love that!" Eugene says with a sympathetic expression as he offers a champagne flute in his extended hand.

Hans accepts the glass with a dazed expression and a quiet laugh, "No. I'm fine. Better than fine."

"You got impatient and approached Princess Elsa by yourself, didn't you?" Eugene says quietly as he settles parallel to Hans, arms resting on the railing and looking out over the city lights.

Hans smiles bigger at that, looking down into his champagne and taking a sip before saying "Yes. Yes I did."

Eugene tilts his head to the side to glance at him, giving him a look which says, " _and then…"_

Hans raises his chin proudly and with a serious expression he quietly states, "Eugene, I don't kiss and tell."

"WHAT?!" Eugene sputters as champagne goes down his chin as he tries to wipe it way, laughing, "I did not see that coming."

Hans looks down at the champagne flute and chuckles, "She invited me to meet with her privately later tonight in her suite, so we could talk. It's called _discretion,_ Eugene."

Eugene stands there dumbfounded, staring at Hans and waiting for him to start laughing and tell him what really happened.

Hans takes another sip of champagne and stares back with a pleasantly dazed expression returning to his face.

Eugene finds his voice, "Okay, I love you like a brother…more than a brother I suppose, since I've met all twelve of yours and they are awful, so maybe that isn't a good analogy. I want to see you happy, really…I do. You've dealt with enough in your life that you deserve someone amazing to walk with you and support you, but a word of advice. I know your track record with women and I know you have a type: gorgeous young women who are petite and blonde with big blue eye. And the harder to get, the bigger the conquest, the more you pursue; every girl I've ever seen you interested in has been the same. All I'm saying is that you need to be careful. I'd hate to see you burn any bridges, or for her to get hurt. Don't be demented and envision a romance that isn't there and try to sell that to her, she's the future Queen of Norway, not some sorority sister you're trying to bed. I don't know her very well, but Rapunzel is very protective and won't take you toying with her cousin lightly."

Hans' expression shifts into a self-depreciating smirk as he nods his head, "No, I got it. All those girls, all that time, I know I was misguided and in a fog and cruel…this is different. Just, trust me. Okay?"

"With my life, man. I gave you my talk, my conscious is clear. Just look before you leap." Eugene said as he raised his glass.

"I'll toast to that."

* * *

Within moments, Anna knew.

Elsa couldn't stop smiling as she spoke with quiet excitement to Anna about the timing of the birthday cake and toast, her eyes sparkled and she seemed alive. _How can one person have such an effect on another? Like flipping a switch…_ Anna decided she'd ask Elsa tomorrow, away from the party where it was quiet. The entire room erupted into song as the cake was wheeled out, Anna beaming a grin the entire time.

Elsa bid goodnight to Anna, wishing her _"the happiest of birthdays"_ and told her that she would be retiring for the evening in their suite. "But please feel free to stay and enjoy the night as long as you'd like…you're the birthday girl, so the party shuts down when you do!"

"Thank you, Elsa, for everything. Best birthday, ever. Really. I love you." Anna said quietly with a soft smile as she hugged Elsa good night.

"Thank you, for finding Hans…" Elsa said very seriously as her voice trailed off, like she needed to say more but was unable to find the words. She opened her mouth again, exhaling in frustration as her eyes began to search the room, as if what she was trying to say would suddenly appear.

Anna kissed her on the cheek and looked back at her with a happy grin and a wink, "We'll talk tomorrow, ok?"

Elsa returned the kiss on Anna's cheek as she pulled her tight, "Ok. I love you, too. See you in the morning, Anna."

* * *

"Your Highness, Mr. Westergaard." Kai announced formally as he opened the door to the balcony of the suite to escort Hans out to the small outdoor garden space. She turned to face the two men from the railing where she had been looking out over the lights of the city, lost in thought anxiously waiting for Hans to arrive. She caught his eye for a moment before turning to address Kai, nodding with a shy smile, "Thank you, Kai."

"Is there anything else, may I bring any refreshment out for you, Your Highness?" Kai inquired.

"Thank you, perhaps something to drink? I didn't taste the champagne during the party, perhaps you'd like to join me, Mr. Westergaard?"

Hans nodded politely, "Yes, thank you."

Kai nodded and shut the glass door behind him, leaving Elsa and Hans alone, standing on opposite sides of the moonlit balcony in awkward silence as they stared at each other, almost in fear of breaking the spell from earlier. Elsa composed herself first, wetting her lips as she looked at her fingers woven together in front of her as she spoke, "I wasn't entirely truthful with you earlier when you asked me if I knew who you were." She felt her heart begin to race as she glanced up to see his expression shift from a one which appeared collected and calm to another slightly bewildered. She smiled apologetically as she sighed, "I don't know exactly _who you are, Hans Westergaard_ , but I am hoping you may be able to tell me why I have dreamt of you almost every night of my life."

_Let that crazy fact sink in before you turn tail and run away from the demented Princess…_

She stood before Hans very embarrassed and feeling quite exposed as she just confessed out loud something absolutely absurd. Mortified, she finally met his gaze to find him looked at her handsome and very bewildered, his mouth agape and eyebrows slightly raised. In a heartbeat he regained his composure and whispered, "I'm sorry, I can't."

Elsa's face fell in resignation of her stupidity with regards to sharing her secret about him. She brought her hands to her cheeks to hide the flush that she was sure was erupting with her embarrassment and looked down at his feet, her eyes beginning to threaten tears.

_If something fell out of the sky to strike me dead I would be eternally thankful._

Nothing could have prepared her for what he whispered next.

"I can tell you that I have dreamt of you almost every night of my life, as well."

Her chin snapped up to bring her eyes to his, "What?"

He nodded his head and begun walking slowly towards her, a nervous chuckle escaping as he smiled at her with awestruck wonder. He stopped in front of her and took her hands gently in his, "You can feel that, when I touch you? It's like an energy or excitement or thrill I've never felt before rushing through me and driving me to claim more…why? What is this? So you feel the same?"

She exhaled a shaky breath as her eyes widened, studying his face. His brow was furrowed and eyes slightly narrowed as he looked at her, lips parted as he steadied his breath. She watched his green eyes begin to dilate while his gaze dropped to her lips; she experimentally ran her tongue over her lower lip to see his pupils dilate further in the moonlight. She felt a thrill in having the power to make his body react to hers with such a small gesture, the sensation pooling tight in her abdomen as his eyes fixed on hers. She whispered, "I can feel that, yes…"

She was unsure how long they stood there staring at each other while holding hands, but long enough for Kai to return and announce himself with a clearing of the throat before setting the tray down on the table and inquiring if there was anything else he could do.

Elsa managed to regain her composure enough to respond, "No, thank you, Kai. Have a nice night, Anna should be back soon from the ball."

With the click of the glass door they were left alone, again. In silence.

Hans poured the champagne into the flutes while Elsa stood by his side. "To finding dreams," she offered with a clink of the crystal. They sat snuggled on the loveseat talking and sipping from the crystal flutes, "Should we share dreams first or real life?" she asked with a giggle as he rested his head upon hers.

"Yes." Hans replied with a chaste kiss to her hairline, sending shiver through her. "You have to start at the beginning…"


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so the story ends!? Hans has found Elsa and they have shared true love's first kiss...or maybe that is where the problems begin?

_You are the only man I have ever kissed..._

 

Elsa sat nestled in his lap, nose to nose, all common sense having left her. 

In her euphoria she whispered that fact into Hans' ear, she could feel his chest rumble with a seductive growl before she heard it as he gently captured her jaw in both his hands and forced her to look straight into his dark eyes. Her breath hitched when she caught his lopsided grin as he chuckled, "I'm embarrassed to admit to you the strange jumble of emotions you just triggered in me, Elsa."

Her eyes widened as she avoided eye contact with him, "Let me guess, you are repulsed and horrified?"

He tilted his head to follow her gaze, his voice soft and pleading as she felt his breath ghost over her lips, "Not at all. How could I be horrified about anything you have done or not done...your experiences made you who you are and without that I may not be here with you. I suspect our fates are tied together and brought us to this moment. If anything, I am slightly embarrassed at how knowing your lips have never touched another makes me feel. I'm not what I consider a possessive or jealous man, but hearing you say that your perfect mouth has never kissed another man's lips...I feel immense relief that I am the only man to have known you this way. Desperately relieved to know that...then in the next moment a crazy, feral, possessive sort of arousal stirs in my gut making me want to ensure no man can ever intimately know you the way you have allowed me to thus far. These emotions you inspire are very...new to me...I've never felt like this before, about anyone."

Something deep inside her told her to stop being so naive - that she was playing with fire and was going to get burned.

The realization that she knew nothing of this man who had swept her off her feet pushed to the forefront of her thoughts but was quickly banished to the dark recesses of her mind the moment his lips touched hers and she found herself desperately trying to get as close to him as she could without parting from his clever mouth. Between that and his large hands which radiated a warmth she found _addictive_ (and that restlessly touched her and gripped at her hips), frankly, Elsa was curious and wanting more.

They did talk for while - a few hours in fact.

Mostly sharing things about themselves from real life experiences.  Elsa realized quickly that the content of her dreams were truly private and the introvert in her prohibited disclosure of such secrets to him. At least yet. He offered little bits and pieces as she did, but he genuinely seemed content just to watch and listen and touch as she spoke. 

It was the gentle touches and caressing that short circuited her brain and convinced her to throw caution to the wind.

Thus leading her to her current predicament: how to gracefully regain what little remained of her dignity.

Because she presently sat straddling his lap to face him, gown hiked up and fabric bunching at her waist to accommodate the position as she buried her hands into his hair.  She was seeking with perfect patience the best angle to kiss. 

She had almost found it, too.

Just as the glass door clicked open.

She startled at the sound, feeling the cold pin-pricking in her fingertips that usually preceded her panic attacks, just to have it dissipate in a heartbeat as her eyes flew open to see Hans looking up at her in awe as his arms pulled her tighter to him with a breathless laugh.

She rested her forehead to his with a grin as she closed her eyes and attempted to catch her breath before having to explain herself to whomever was there. She suddenly realized how _cold_ her hands were against the growing heat of his skull.

Kai cleared his throat awkwardly, breaking Elsa's thoughts about the heat coming from Hans. "Please forgive me, Your Highness, but Princess Anna is on her way up from the ballroom for the night."

Flustered and embarrassed beyond belief, she sputtered a " _Thank you_ " as Kai closed the doors again.

"I'm so sorry, this is my fault Elsa...I shouldn't have put you in such a compromising position," Hans said with his green eyes boring into hers as he brushed the loose strands of hair from her her face to tuck behind her ear.

"I am pretty sure I put myself in this particular position," she groaned as she pushed herself upright in his lap and wiggled her hips suggestively.

He gently patted her thigh with a smirk, "Time to dismount your ride, I'm afraid...or there will be far more disclosure happening to your family and my friend if we are discovered like this."

She chuckled at that, "What are you, a horse?"

With a wiggle of his eyebrows he replied seductively, "I will be whatever you want me to be if you promise to keep doing that."

She flopped on to the cushion next to him laughing at that thought, unable to stop the giggles from escaping.

Hans smiled as he sat up (painfully adjusting his pants), straightening his vest and pulling off the untied bow tie to shove into his pocket before reaching over Elsa to grab his jacket to put back on. He paused to run his hands through his hair to try and tame it back into place, finding the hair at the nape of his neck and back of his head was wet. Confused, he glanced behind him to the back of the love seat to run his fingers over the fabric cushion to find it was still dry.

"Do you feel anything wet or damp? My head must have been resting on something that was," his voice trailing off as Elsa looked up at him strangely while her giggles died off.

"No, I didn't think so. Why is your hair wet? It was dry just a few moments ago when I had my fingers...in...it..."

Her eyes flew down to her hands.

_ICE?_

In the moonlight they appeared perfectly normal (and dry). She held her breath as she tried to will the frost to erupt over her fingers tips and across the palms of her hands as she could in her dreams, but nothing happened. Her pale hands began to tremble slightly before she clinched them into fists in frustration.

A growl escaped her lips without her realization.

Hans chuckled nervously as he watched with a smirk, "What are you doing?"

She exhaled dramatically as she frowned at him, "Presently? Loosing my mind. Care to help me find it or are you interested in running as far aways as possible without looking back?"

She crossed her arms across her chest as she slouched her shoulders and leaned back on the love seat.

Hans stood, pulling her up to her feet by the hand and into his arms as he hugged her tightly, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "Sorry to disappoint you, but I'm stubbornly staying put right by your side until you call your guards to forcibly remove me."

Elsa looked up at him, unamused.

"I'll happily help you find where your sanity has disappeared to, I might find mine with it. A little adventure sounds like fun! How about after a little sleep, we can initiate the hunt over brunch?" He laughed into her hair.

She huffed, "Ha."

"My cell phone is in my coat pocket, can you grab it to give me your number?" He said not moving his arms from his embrace.

She started fumbling with his coat and vest trying to feel out the pocket, "Ah ha! Go it!" She mumbled into his chest before looking up victoriously at him with bright blue eyes then glancing down to enter her contact information.

"How about 11:30? Here? You can join Anna, Rapunzel, and Me. Oh, and Eugene, I forgot he was here, too."

Hans laughed as he accepted his cellphone back and slipped it into his pocket again. "Don't tell him that, his feelings are easily hurt."

Elsa smiled as she pulled him back to her for a kiss, her hands snaking under his jacket along the sides of his waist and up his back as she pressed herself tightly to him. A loud pounding was heard from the glass door, causing Hans to jump slightly and her fingers to tingle and freeze. Hans sucked in his breath with a confused expression as he giggled, "Your fingers are FREEZING!"

She laughed nervously as they both looked down at her offending hands that she pulled in front of her when they separated in a heartbeat, both looked at the door next to find a rather inebriated appearing Eugene and Anna hunched over laughing hysterically. Through the glass Eugene's muted voice could be heard, "Did you see that, Birthday girl?! That was crazy how fast he moved! And your sister, too!"

"So sorry, Elsa. Seriously." Hans sighed as he captured one of her hands between his, the heat immediately warming her icy hand as he brought it to his lips. He released her hand and she found she was at a loss as to how to bring up the subject that neither one knew the other was contemplating.


	10. Chapter 10

E: Good Morning, Hans Westergaard.

He brightened immediately as he scrambled to reply to the text that chimed, interrupting the playlist he was listening to during his run on the treadmill.

_H: Good Morning, Your Highness. Sleep well?_

Somewhere in the back of his head he realized texting while running was incredibly stupid…and "Sleep well?" _That's the best you can come up with, Hans?!_ _Wait, it's a text message…not a dissertation. Don't be weird._

E: No, I couldn't sleep…I'll pass out later this afternoon, I'm sure. Did you sleep well?

He laughed and hit the "pause" button to stop the belt.

_H: I confess that I didn't sleep, either. I gave up and came down to the gym to work out when my brain wouldn't turn off._

E: Thank goodness I wasn't the only one.

E: I mean, sorry to hear that.

Hans shook his head with a smirk…

E: That was quite rude, I'm terribly sorry.

_H: No worries, misery loves company, doesn't it?_

E: I couldn't agree more :)

_H: Anyone else up over there?_

E: HA! No.

E: I was going to go to the 9:00 service at Our Savior's Lutheran Church since I was up, would you care to join me? I plan on leaving by 8:30.

Hans blinked at the screen of his phone, re-reading the last text slightly astonished.

_The future Queen of Norway is asking me to escort her to church?_

Wow.

_H: I'd be honored to accompany you. I'll be at your door by 0820._

_H: Sorry, that is 8:20 am. I'm integrating the use of a 24 hr clock to tell time in preparation for Officer Training School next month._

E: LOL, I love the way you text with actual sentences and punctuation and grammar. Anna drives me nuts with the abbreviations and nonsense. Half the time I have no idea what she is saying. See you little while, enjoy your workout!

He actually laughed out loud at that.

_H: You flatter me, Your Highness. See you soon._

 

Hans sat next to Elsa in the wooden pew of the historic Lutheran Church that Elsa routinely worshiped at, listening quietly to the pipe organ play before the processional hymn began and watching the parishioners find their seats and greet each other fondly. He glanced down at her as she shyly took his hand into hers and studied how their hands looked with their fingers intertwined, her eyes meeting his with a questioning " _is this ok?"_

With a small, private smile he wrapped his other hand over hers and leaned over to whisper, "Is it bad that I feel like we are an old married couple who have spent a lifetime sitting in the same spot at church, in the same pew, and I love it?"

Elsa blushed _madly_ at that.

Hans suddenly realized that she was likely remembering last night and the embarrassment they faced when Eugene and Anna found them locked in an embrace and seeking more.

The memory caused a mischievous grin to spread across his face as he squeezed her hand, "Did I just embarrass you? It would seem I've found my purpose in life…between last night and this morning."

Her eyes widened and she pressed her lips tightly together to suppress the smile and laugh that he was sure she was going to give him.

_(Oh yes. That is exactly what she was remembering.)_

She smacked his chest quietly as she narrowed eyes and huffed, "I think the holy water is _boiling_ in your presence, Hans. Because that was _evil._ "

He was forced to stifle a laugh as a family with small children took the pew in front of them, the mother looking at him strangely as Elsa dropped her head, her ears flushed pink.

_I’m being scolded by the future Queen of Norway._

His grin grew wider.

"You're going to go hell in a handbasket for your inappropriate behavior in the Lord's house," she giggled under her breath.

"Good thing I'm here to confess my sins and beg for forgiveness," He whispered thickly in her ear as the congregation began to rise for the start of the service.

They had fallen asleep together, laying on the floor of the living room working on the NY Times crossword puzzle after brunch.

Anna had discovered the pair, smiling to herself as she left a note on to let her know that she wanted to go shopping and Rapunzel was dragging Eugene with them against his will. She even pulled the throw from Elsa's bed to put over the pair with a giggle as Eugene asked for some eyeliner to draw a mustache on Hans as they left for the afternoon.

(She didn’t give him any.)

Sunday was Kai and Gerda's afternoon off, leaving Elsa with just the Royal Guards on the premises.

And Hans.

_He's neither awake nor asleep, caught in that strange limbo of consciousness that occurs when transitioning between stages and things blur. His mind begins to link together bits of lucid thoughts with the nonsense he is helpless to control as his mind begins to conjure dreams._

_He knows not to trust what he sees or feels, but finds himself challenged to remember this as he slips deeper into sleep and he feels himself drawn to her, weaving Elsa into the very fabric of his desires._

_She's with him as he lays on his back on the hard ground, but he has forgotten why he is there and how she came to join him. She's warm and it's pleasant, and she is a soft pressure at his side, entwining herself between his legs while her arm drapes over his chest. Her warm breath ghosts over the flesh of his neck, causing arousal with each even breathe she releases. He knows its Elsa, but doesn't know if she is dream or reality - deciding he doesn't care because he is desperately thankful for either._

_She stirs and begins to caress his chest as she pulls herself impossibly closer. The sudden coil of arousal overwhelms him with the need to hear her say his name again like that. He tries to turn, to capture her under him and chase desire to completion but he is paralyzed, his mind beginning to race as his body is frozen...in any other situation it would be terrifying but currently he just feels horribly frustrated, like this is perfect torture. Her voice comes softly, thick with sleep, "I love you, Hans..." followed by a shift in position to press her lips to his and place her hand over his pounding heart._

_”I've love you my whole life...I loved you before I met you." She slinks back to his side, rubbing herself shamelessly against his him. She kisses his jaw tenderly and then his neck, gently taking the flesh between her teeth. He can hear himself moan her name in reply. She stiffens around him with a sharp gasp, his flesh just under her fingertips becoming cold and numb as if she were pressing ice to him._

His eyes fly open to find a bright world and a shocked Elsa.

One who looks like she got caught with her hand in the cookie jar.

_(Or more accurately, whispering sweet nothings in his ear as she molested him in his sleep.)_

_Perfect…_

In a heartbeat he has captured her under him, rolling over top of her and pressing his lips urgently to hers with a devious smirk as his brain forgets to process where his conscious and subconscious draw their lines with reality.

Because she has been with him for a lifetime, in his dreams and he fails to realize that _this_ is real.

He hears a satisfied moan escape her through the kiss as her hands attack the buttons of his shirt - then her cool hands are touching his bare chest. And he’s lost it.

His control slips as he drops his hips against hers causing his eyes to flutter closed and his jaw to slack at the delicious friction the movement created, and before he can regain control of his brain he hears himself responding to Elsa, "I love you, Elsa. Say you'll marry me."

She gasps and the frost he is expecting to erupt across his chest comes and his mind returns to him with startled sobriety.

_What have I done?_

He slowly opens his eyes to see her looking just as shocked, if not more so, than he is. She lifts a shaking hand up to her line of sight, staring at her fingers before brushing them through his hair and resting her hand at the nap of his neck carefully. He opens his mouth to explain himself, but finds he has no voice; instead he looks desperately into her confused face waiting for her reply to his loss of sanity.

In a heartbeat he realizes he won't take back any of what he just said - he does love her. He desperately wants nothing more than to be by her side every day for the rest of his life…but the frost might indicate that he crossed a line with his confession.

_After all, he’s known her, this HER, for less than a day._

So he finds the frost far less startling than his own words professing his heart's desires.

Long quiet moments pass before she manages faintly, "You can't marry a man you just met." A horrified expression washes across her eyes as the words escape her lips, like a memory tugging at her to support her logic.

Something tickles his own mind to tell him that she has said those words before. About him.

He stares at her quietly for a few moments before he manages the courage to reply, but it comes just as weakly, "You can if it's true love."

_What?_

A nauseating roil takes hold of his stomach as he remembers those words used by Anna as she fought with Elsa at the coronation ball.

In his dreams – Arendelle?

_Oh no…_

It was as he and Anna asked for her blessing of their marriage. Bile begins to creep up the back of throat and he swallows hard to keep it down.

_I've done this before, with the wrong sister…_

With sudden clarity he recalls holding Anna's hand while kneeing before her under a waterfall asking for her hand in marriage.

And it's a memory, not a dream.

Elsa sputters a soft pained cry as tears begin to pool in her eyes, "What do you know about true love?”

Again, dread settles deeper.

She sounds broken and hurt, her eyes dilate as she stares unfocused at him, like seeing past him and watching something in the distance. He's sure she's reliving the same memory that he is.

Elsa's eyes focus suddenly and stare into his soul with an intensity he has never seen, her jaw clenched as her other hand finds its way to the front of his shoulder like she wants to push him off her, but she slowly softens her expression and pulls the fabric of his shirt into a wad as she curls her fingers. "Say it."

_“What do you know about true love?” she had said flatly. “More than you. All you know how to do is shut people out,” Anna spat._

NO.

He shakes his head to refuse, to argue he doesn't understand her meaning.

Panic begins to crowd his mind because giving her Anna's words confirms his fears. That it's memory that has surfaced, one that is somehow real and Elsa also shares.  Elsa's fingers tug slightly at his hair as they become colder.

"What comes next?" She hisses as she lifts her head up to kiss him almost viciously, chasing the panic.

She finally releases him for air and he pleads, "Please don't make me say those horrible words that were spit at you in anger."

She shakes her head and kisses him again with the same intensity.

Panting as she parts from his mouth, she glares at him, "Say it."

He feels tears start to threaten his own eyes; he closes them as he drops his forehead to rest on hers, "No."

Her voice cracks as she whispers his name like an apology, tenderly running her fingers through his hair, "You know what she says, don't you?”

He can only nod.

“More than you do, all you know is how to shut people out,” Elsa whispers.

He clings to her, burying his face into her hair as he nods his head in confirmation. He finds his voice just as hoarse as hers as he replies, "You asked for my blessing, but my answer is no."

Hans lays in her arms as he composes himself, mortified that she knows what he did. Mortified that this was not simply a dream. They lay tangled in silence for long minutes as her cold hands begin to trace slow circles over his back. He can practically _feel_ her reliving that memory again, for the first time in forever. Eventually she chuckles darkly to herself, "What are you so afraid of?"

He remembers the moment with terrible clarity, and can’t stop himself from correcting her.

"That's not what comes next," he mumbles into her hair as his hand seeks hers out and pulls it to his lips to kiss. He uncurls her fingers one by one to press gentle kisses to the tips of each before placing her open palm to his pounding heart and holding it tightly there.

"You're a jerk..." she chuckles.

He nuzzles her neck again with a sigh, "That's also not what comes next."

She turns her head to kiss the crown of his head and exhales in defeat, his red hair stirring in the wake of her dramatic breath.

"And you forgot to build your jagged icy barricade so you can run."

Elsa laughs dryly at that. He can feel the slick moisture the melted frost left on his skin that is now pressed between them, feeling exhausted. "We share the same dream of that, why?" he asks, at a loss as to how to describe it.

Elsa simply shakes her head slightly as she seeks out his mouth, "Almost like a memory..." she trails off as she avoids the conversation. He assumes she found the courage to continue when she pulls away and whispers, "I've tried asking Anna before if she ever had strange dreams like mine, she doesn't. But you do."

Smiling sadly he begs, "I have always felt I lead a life in need of redemption, I have been lost and misguided and cruel. I got this wrong once, horribly wrong - please forgive me, for all I've done...please allow me the chance to do it right. To be with you."

She appears overwhelmed as he speaks but waits for him to finish before she becomes desperate and forceful as she pulls him down to her wordlessly, offering him silent absolution. Under the cover of the blanket and with hearts racing and wet breathless kisses, she pauses and stares at him very seriously as he watches her mind at work. Her eyes begin to dart slightly as she bites at her lower lip, plump and bruised from his mouth.

"Yes," she says simply.

His eyes narrow in confusion and she looks patiently at him, waiting for him to catch up

_She's going to marry me?_

He quirks the corner of his mouth as he raises an eyebrow, "Ah. You will. But not yet."

"Yes," she whispers gently, "Because you can't marry a man you just met."

He was genuinely happy for exactly 36 hours.

Gathering his cell phone out of the locker he had been provided to place his belongings in while he sat for the bar exam, he noticed he had _multiple_ missed calls from both his mother and father, but no messages were left. With a horrible sense of dread he quickly called his father, his mind racing after what could possibly be wrong. They wouldn't have been calling to wish him good luck or see how things went with his exam…he was certain they didn't even remember he was taking the bar this morning.

"Westergaard here," his father's voice came sharply across the line as Hans stiffened at the sound.

"Dad…its Hans. Sorry I missed the calls from you and mom, I was in the testing area and unable to bring my phone in. Is everything okay?"

"Oh, you were taking the bar today. Good, gotta get that done…I'm sure you passed." His father said distractedly.

Hans rolled his eyes as he looked at his feet, "Yeah, I'm optimistic, I feel pretty good about it. I just need to upload my essay answers by 2030 tonight."

"Alright then," his father grunted with finality. "Now, care to explain to me why I have had the Norwegian Royal Guard trolling my workplace and homes, asking questions about you and our family?"

His cell slipped from his hand and hit the floor, clattering as he fumbled after it. "Hello? Dad? You still there?" he mumbles.

"Yup. Not that I don't enjoy brushing up on international privacy laws and talking to the U.S. Ambassador to Norway, he says "hi" by the way. But what have you done to become so interesting to Norway?"

_Someone kill me now…please._

Hans took a deep breath as his mind raced, trying to decipher the situation having been caught off guard. _Elsa's having me investigated?_ "Can I call you back from somewhere more private? I'm standing in the hallway of the testing center at the moment would prefer not to make this more awkward than it needs to be." Hans said quietly.

"Yup. You can, but you are going to clue me in on it now."

Settling on a response that was straight forward and wouldn't require much elaboration, Hans raised his chin as he stated, "I spent some time with the Crown Princess of Norway this weekend. We met at the masked ball and I accompanied her to church Sunday morning. And I had no idea I was being investigated, I suppose I'm sort of flattered."

"OH! The little blonde? Must have been a really good time if you needed to go to church with her first thing in the morning…well done, boy…well done!" his father boomed gregariously, voice full of innuendo. "That certainly clears things up. No worries, just call your mother when you get back to the Towers and fill her in. I'll get the details from her. Anything you need from me, son?"

"Um, perhaps participate willingly with inquiry?" Hans suggested, keeping his head raised to challenge any passersby who were lingering to eavesdrop.

His father laughed again at that, "I'll get things all squared away for you on this end, you know, stop interfering with their investigation. I'll be honest, when you mentioned that the Princess of Norway had personally invited you, I figure you'd settle for the younger sister…as heir, Elsa is preferable, of course. I'm proud of you, well done. Anyway, you'd better warn that best friend of yours to keep his trap shut or he could blow this for you, I'm sure he'll be on the list of people to talk to about you."

Hans clinched his jaw in frustration but managed to keep his tone light, "Will do, dad. Thanks for everything, really."

"Yup. Carry on, son."

Hans managed to walk to the nearby bench and sit before he felt his stomach contents churning again, and dread coming over him…

_As heir, Elsa was preferable…_

 


	11. Chapter 11

_The same._

_I look the same._

That single statement is the one her racing mind keeps settling on as she stands formal and still with her chin lifted while she studies her reflection in the slightly fogged glass of the mirror. Elsa had locked herself in her bathroom to sink into the deep jetted tub for a hot bath as she prepared for bed, hoping the nightly ritual would cleanse and clarify not just her body but her mind as well. Instead, it was too quiet and her thoughts too loud. As scattered as she felt, it is the most comfortable she has ever been in her own skin. The skin that Hans Westergaard, _Prince Hans of the Southern Isles_ , had spent the better part of the last twenty four hours conquering and worshiping with his hands and mouth, awakening in her something that had remained dormant her entire life but she was sure was always there.

_Entwined with Hans on the living room carpet earlier that afternoon, she began to unravel dreams and realities between passionate moments._

_"For as long as I can remember you came into my dreams the same way - Anna would always present you to me, 'Prince Hans of the Southern Isles'. That is until I saw you for the first time on that ship - that night you told me I could find you and request an audience without Anna. The dreams tended to take a sharp turn towards the erotic after that." Elsa's eyes widened and tongue clicked as soon as the words had left her mouth, "You did not need to know that."_

_Hans looked down at her with adoration while his hand trailed along her thigh and a finger hooked the hem of her sundress, dragging it up to her hip. "I am going to be the dissenting opinion here. I absolutely need to know that, all of it in fact. I'm a Prince of somewhere warm and sunny and your chosen partner, fulfilling all your erotic fantasies and carnal desires?" He ran his warm hand over her flesh and she lost the ability to form coherent words, her eyes drifting closed as she simply smiled helplessly into his lips as he pressed a kiss to her mouth. "You've been holding back on me, haven't you?" he smirked. His hot breath tickled the shell of her ear as he murmured, "I have a confession to make my love, you have always been the one in my dreams to satisfy my desires as well."_

Elsa holds her breath as she tries to find some mark on her skin, some sort of physical evidence to support why she feels like she has stepped out of the looking glass in front of her. She leans over the sink to peer into her reflection - she sees the same fair skin and scattered freckles across her bare flesh as always. She can make out the faint contrast in her complexion across her chest where her swim suit creates lines marking where the sun has been, absently wondering if such a difference can be seen across her back or bottom. She releases her breath across the mirror to obscure her reflection; accidently pushing her naked pelvis up against the cold marble sink and causing goosebumps erupt across her skin before she can suck in her belly to create distance between her and the cold stone.

_Her hands were buried in his hair as his nimble fingers teased her until her jaw unhinged and eyes screwed shut. She had whimpered his name softly as the freeze spiraled and frosted his hair and her toes curled into the fibers of the carpet. As her mind slowly returned to her body, Elsa opened her eyes to see him tasting her off his fingers and moaned quietly at the sight. It was as her eyes blinked to focus on him that she realized his hair was white and frosted._

_SNOW._

_"Oh…wow," she whispered slightly horrified, not sure if she was more embarrassed about what just happened to cause her to conjure snow or that she had conjured snow. The embarrassment crept across her features as her mind raced, trying to decide how to get out from under Hans and run away before he did._

_He chuckled as he brought his hand up to his hair, shaking the flakes of snow loose to fall, fluttering to dust her cheeks and eyelashes. He kissed the tip of her nose before staring back at her with helpless wonder, "Okay, Elsa…I have to know. How do you do that?"_

_That was not the reaction she was expecting._

The corner of her mouth quirks as she narrows her eyes slightly to glare at her doppelgänger in the mirror. She slowly brings the fingers of one hand up to the reflection and tickles the glass, frost erupting in short patterns of fractals as she exhales victoriously. Her eyes snap up to challenge the vivid blue of the platinum blonde woman staring back at her, declaring quietly, "I'm the Snow Queen."

_She stumbles over her words as she tries to explain…between the "only in my dreams " and "I can't", he kisses her viciously and suddenly the snow and frost melt and cold drops of water drip down onto her face. She sputters a protest for a heartbeat before realizing - she could never thaw the ice or stop the freeze in her dreams, but Hans could. "It's you. You thaw it…"_

_Hans looks at her very confused as he slowly states the obvious, "Heat melts ice."_

_She beams a smile at him, "No...It's a warm rush I feel from your caress and when you kiss me…the frost has only come when I am with you and I have been startled. The freeze…its anxiety, it's the sudden release of emotion, the panic…" she blurts out so fast that Hans only seems to grow more confused. She brings her fingers back up to his hair to comb it back into place, the euphoria causing her to giggle at herself. How was Hans able to stop her freeze and thaw her ice?_

_"But how do you make the ice, Elsa? It's not possible," he protests quietly trying to wrap his head around the situation. She pulls him down to her for a lazy kiss before seductively whispering in his ear, "Or it's my magic and you've just unlocked it."_

_He blinks thoughtfully, obviously her words provided little clarification for him, "You've never been able to do this before? Am I the only one who knows?"_

_Elsa can't stop smiling as she watches his confusion. "I've been able to my entire life in the dreams, and I could feel the freeze stirring in me almost every day but it would never release...just build until I would become overwhelmed and panic. I never really told anyone that I conjure ice and snow like magic when I sleep, and this is the first time I've ever been able to do **this**...only with you."_

_He smiles in a small, overwhelmed way as he carefully draws his mouth to hers, bringing a hand to her neck to caress her jaw and cheek. She watches his eyes as he thinks for long moments, beautiful and green then they darken as his pupils dilate slightly, like he is deciding what to feel. He eventually settles on, "You've been conjuring snow and ice in my dreams since I saw you from the ship - it was always cold when I was with you, even when I was a small boy...like winter time. When I learned you were real and who you were I assumed the snow made sense, the whole 'Future Queen of Norway' thing." He shakes his head slightly, like an apology as he revises his words, "I find myself once again falling victim to the feral, possessive arousal you inspire in me...that I know you in a way no other person on Earth does." He chuckled as a smile grew on Elsa's face while he spoke._

_"I know in my soul that my heart must be yours..." She whispered gently._

Elsa rocks back on her heels as she steps away from the sink, padding silently with bare feet to the tub of warm water she had just climbed out of. Dropping the tip of her middle finger into a flotilla of fragrant bubbles bobbing along the surface of the water, she stirs them gently and watches them spiral into a small mound before she catches her breath and she causes the bubbles to burst into frosted spheres. Her smile widens as she watches the tiny spheres drop from top of the mound down to the water's surface and float momentarily before melting.

_Elsa was on her side tucked tightly into Hans' arms as they dozed off again on the floor, tired minds and exhausted bodies and happy in a stupid contagious way that feels wonderfully irrational. He murmured to her gently as he fell asleep, "It's not fair, really. Our grandkids will like you better because you will be the secret weapon to win snowball fights and make ice rinks in ballrooms...how do I compete with that? And I was looking forward to being the amazing Grandpapa." He sighed dramatically at that thought as he sandwiched a leg between hers. "I can sail...I'm excellent with horses (yawn)...I'm good at fencing..." he mumbled as he slipped further into sleep._

_Elsa smiled as he rambled, unable to stop herself from replying "...and evidently horribly competitive. Maybe they will all hate winter sports? I am sure you'll figure it out, amazing Grandpapa. You have a few decades to worry about it."_

_A sound of agreement came from behind her as his breath steadied and his arm became heavier over her chest._

* * *

 

Anna's telltale knock percusses loudly into Elsa's bedroom followed by, "This reminds me of a really bad knock-knock joke" spoken into the wood of the door.

Elsa smiled as she sat up in her bed surrounded by pillows and the book she was trying to read (unsuccessfully), "Come in, Anna!"

Anna opened the door cautiously, large aquamarine eyes peering into the room and surveying the scene before flinging the door wider and bouncing in, springing onto the bed wearing her forest green pajamas.

Elsa shut her book as she looked fondly at her sister, "What was that? Making sure the coast was clear?"

Anna beamed a smile, simultaneously innocent yet mischievous. "Yes, yes I was…" she drawls as she hands Elsa a bar of chocolate she was hiding in her pocket. "I was just seeing if we were going to have to split that three ways. I half expected Hans Westergaard to be in here with you."

Elsa managed a scolding glare as she accepted the wrapped treat, blushing as she stammered, "Hans is not here, Anna! You saw me say good night to him as he left hours ago."

"Just making sure…you can't fault me. I've lost count of the number of times I've seen you swapping spit with that man _...Ophfff_ …" she sputtered as a pillow smacked her in the face as Elsa chides, "ANNA!"

Anna had trouble regaining her composure as she looked over at her very scandalized sister who was unable to argue.

"I never realized what a little hussy you could be, I suppose it's the quiet ones you have to watch out for."

Elsa tossed the chocolate onto the bedside table along with her book before flipping onto her stomach to bury her face into the pillows. She groped awkwardly at the duvet until she found the edge and threw it over herself. Only after she successfully buried herself in the covers did she attempt a reply, coming muffled and very embarrassed, "You have no idea…I've lost hold of my sanity and I'm helpless to stop myself."

"Hm, you've got it bad."

A soft voice comes from the doorway, "What's she got?" asks Gerda torn between concern and bemusement.

Anna flopped backwards over the bed, her head dangling upside down and pigtails sweeping the floor to look at Gerda, "Elsa's in love."

A shocked "What?" and "ANNA!" could be simultaneously heard from Gerda and Elsa.

Anna cracked a wide smile as she chortled at the older woman's astonished expression as she poked Elsa's pile of bed linen with her toe, "Don't try and deny it, Elsa."

Elsa could be faintly heard, "Is it possible to die of embarrassment? I suspect I may be the first documented case very shortly."

Gerda chuckles to herself as she closes the door behind her and goes to sit in the armchair next to the bed. Sighing as she shakes her head, "Okay, young ladies, we need to have a serious talk. Anna, quit hanging off the bed like a bat and Elsa, extract yourself from the sheets."

Sheepishly the two sisters did as they were told, Anna sitting upright and crawling into the bed next to Elsa. She paused as she looked at Elsa and broke out into laughter again, "Your ears are pink! Did you know that you turn bright pink when you are embarrassed?!"

Elsa poked her in the side just as Gerda scolded, "Anna, I said serious. You want to go gallivanting off into the world like a woman than you'd better know when to behave like one and not like an unrefined ninny."

Anna and Elsa started at each other with wide eyes, Gerda crossing her arms in front of her as her irritation grows.

Gerda had come to work with the Royal family when Elsa was born and had watched the girls grow over the years and blossom into young women, she was the kind but firm influence that the sisters looked to for guidance as they faced challenges that they couldn't or wouldn't go to their parents about. When Elsa left for school in New York, Gerda had originally accompanied her, staying with her for the first few months before Kai flew out and she returned to Norway to be with Anna. The pattern of Kai and Gerda trading places to be with the sisters had gone on for four years, which would strain any marriage yet they persevered and grew closer. When the King and Queen were lost a few years earlier, Gerda became almost like a surrogate mother at times, comforting Anna and encouraging Elsa through the grief and ensuring the girls were protected. It was out of love that Kai and Gerda had the patience and understanding to put the needs of Anna and Elsa ahead of their own, loving the girls as if they were their own children. So it was with the mounting frustration of a loving parent that Gerda was being pushed over the edge to snap at Anna.

"Now then. I've never had to talk with you about the realities of courtship for royalty, and I am pretty sure your mother never did. I fear this in long overdue."

Anna was reduced to giggles again, "Courtship? You mean dating? Gerda, we may live in a castle but I am pretty sure that it's just dating."

Gerda scolded Anna, "Stop. You may be eighteen years old now, but you have been very sheltered your whole life and have never had to face the reality that there are people in this world who want nothing more than to manipulate you to get what they want. There are men out there who are misguided and cruel and only care about themselves and obtaining the power to control you and those around you. And they do this with charisma and charm. The devil will look beautiful as he destroys and manipulates, reflecting what you want to see – like a mirror. And when it concerns matters of the heart it is more painful and more difficult to see until it's too late."

"Gerda, has something happened?" Elsa says weakly, taken aback by the dark tone of Gerda's words.

Gerda exhales slowly as she fixes her gaze on Elsa, "Elsa, you are throwing yourself into the arms of a man you know nothing of. You've never had a man court you before, so this is new and exciting. But the media will pick up on this quickly and you'll find yourself in every gossip column and sound clip in the blink of an eye. Don't you remember the Princes of England and all the nonsense they had drug through the media because of their antics? It will happen eventually, and I need you to be prepared to face the paparazzi, as well as yourself, when it does. Be practical. Know what skeletons are hiding in his closets, what ghosts haunt him so they don't frighten you later. If he's genuine and real then he won't mind and will tell you everything willingly. Then you have his facts checked out and make sure he is who he says he is."

"Are you saying we should have boyfriends spied on?" Anna says with confusion.

"It comes with the territory, I'm afraid. If you don't do it, the media will."

Elsa swallows hard, the reality of her romance leaving her stomach turning, slightly ill. "I agree, Gerda. Thank you…I appreciate that you have been so candid. Could you ask Kai to start that process with Hans Westergaard? I suppose it would be foolish not to."

Gerda smiled sadly at Elsa, "I'm sorry if I have rained on your parade, but you need to be rational as you give your heart away...don't ignore your mind entirely."

Elsa looked down at her fingers folded in her lap and sighed as she thought, _too late..._


	12. Chapter 12

Sleep was almost upon her when she heard the chime of a text on her phone. Elsa squinted at the screen, her eyes objecting to the bright light in the dark room - Hans.

_H: I apologize in advance if I should wake you, I realize it is late. I was hoping to speak with you, is tomorrow morning better?_

E: No, not really asleep. What's up? How was your test? Should I call you?

_H: I'd rather talk in person._

E: Tomorrow morning, then?

_H: Ah, the funny thing is I am standing in the corridor outside your apartment. I'd be throwing stones from outside to tap on the glass of your window, but your windows are too high up for me to do that._

The image of Hans standing on a sidewalk in Manhattan tossing stones at her window made her giggle as she pulled herself out of bed and down the dimly lit marbled hallway to the front door. The chime of her phone was louder than she'd like it to be, piercing the quiet of the night.

_H: Tomorrow morning would be fine, Elsa._

E: :) I'm coming to let you in

As she walked past the kitchen she heard a voice, "Your Highness"?

She turned to see the Captain of her personal security standing in the doorway of the kitchen with a slice of pizza in his hand and blue eyes surprised to see her. "Pizza?" He offered. Eric was a tall man with broad shoulders and narrow waist - he stood barefoot in his jeans and a white button up shirt with the sleeves rolled up, looking amused. His dark hair was slightly untamed, as if he had showered and it dried without being combed or fixed but was probably intentional. Eric had been with her staff since she arrived in New York years earlier, an American who was hired to blend into her classes with her at school and anywhere else she may be where a security detail would interfere - although he was almost ten years older than her, he had a youthful appearance and dimples when he smiled that gave him the ability to fit in. When Anna met him for the first time she was very taken with him and his boyish charm, flirting relentlessly _("You're gorgeous..." she had told him before realizing the words had tumbled out),_ that is until Elsa told her how old he really was with a giggle.

"OH! No, thank you. I was just..." she started slowly, _about to let Hans in, the man I have dreamt of every night of my life - whom I know very little about, in reality. Why yes, it is the middle of the night. And yes, he is the man I have been caught in the throes of passion with by Kai, what are you implying?_

Eric interrupted her internal rambling, "Your Highness, are you ok? Your face has gone pink."

She shook her head in frustration as she started again, raising her chin and trying to look as calm and authoritative as she could to force the embarrassment away, "Hans Westergaard is here to see me and I was about to let him in rather than have him wake the apartment with the bell."

Elsa held Eric's gaze as he took a bite of pizza and stared at her thoughtfully while he chewed, eventually settling on, "Yeah, I saw him on the security camera outside the front door, lurking in the hallway and texting you. Pretty presumptuous to show up on your door step in the middle of the night; I was betting you would send him away. _It is the middle of the_ _night_ , you know."

Elsa fixed a bored expression as she sighed, "No, I am letting him in and would appreciate if you kept your commentary to yourself. Go back to your pizza, Eric."

Eric put his hands up defeat, "Didn't mean to offend you, Princess; I'm paid to keep my eyes open and mouth shut...but not to you. I wouldn't be doing my job if I kept all my thoughts to myself."

Rolling her eyes as she started back to the door, "Thank you Eric, for your deep thoughts...and don't eat too much of that - we're going for a run in the morning and you'll need to keep up." She smiled as she heard a huff of a laugh behind her.

She pulled open the door and could _feel_ the energy, the magic, course through her as her eyes met his with a breathless smile and a small, "Hi".

Hans stood with grace as he bobbed his head in a respectful bow before he responded just as breathlessly, "My Queen..." while he took her hand and pressed it to his lips while gazing longingly into her eyes.

She giggled at that as she pulled him into the apartment and shut the door behind them, "Prince Charming, I'm not a Queen, yet. You have to wait until the end of the summer to call me that."

"You are _my Queen, Queen Elsa,_ and I thought you said I was _Prince Hans, of the Southern Isles,"_ he whispered coyly as she pressed him into the darkness of the entryway wall to kiss. Elsa decided the _boom_ she felt in her chest and the warm rush that washed over her was addictive as she pulled out of his embrace to lead him to her library. The fascination he held in his eyes as they parted left her giddy. Glancing over her shoulder she noticed Eric standing in kitchen doorway with a smug expression and his arms crossed. He brought two fingers of one hand up to his eyes and pointed them between him and Elsa, _I'm watching you, Your Highness._ Elsa decided the best response would be no response, heading to the library still holding Hans' hand.

"How was the test? I couldn't imagine having to take such a beast...I'm just glad to be done with my fine arts degree, not that much writing, more projects and designs." she said happily as she shut the library door. "When do you get the results?"

Hans pulled her to him, holding her tightly in his arms as he inhaled the scent of her hair as he kissed the top of her head. "You know, you are the first person today to _really_ ask me that, thank you. I have a good feeling about it, fingers crossed. I would have called you earlier but I was wrapped up talking with pretty much every family member tonight..."

"The investigation?" she interrupted, feeling very guilty. "I am so very sorry that I didn't get to tell you first, they started it sooner than I thought they would."

Hans chuckled as Elsa apologized, leading him to the leather sofa to sit down. He sat himself against the arm of the sofa as Elsa placed herself at his side and leaned against his shoulder while swinging her legs over his lap. He brought his arms around her, "No apologizes. It has been slightly overwhelming to have my entire family asking me what I've been doing to become so interesting to Norway, one of my brothers I haven't spoken to in years even called me. I've never been taken seriously, I'm just the last accident – inept at best. Because of your inquiry I'm now got the attention of the family…but like I told my father, I suppose I'm flattered. I'm important enough for you to expend the time and resources on me. It tells me that you're serious when you say that you are allowing me the chance to spend the rest of my life with you...or you are preparing to kick me to the curb."

She poked him in the side, for his self-depreciating comment, "I'm relieved to hear you say that, I was worried you'd take offense and I had misread the situation entirely...you realize that logically we are sort of rushing things? Or is it just me who feels that this is crazy?"

"That's a rational way of stepping back and assessing things, although I desperately want to throw caution to the wind," he smirked. "My schedule has become incredibly chaotic this week and I'm not sure when we will get to spend much time together without giving the illusion of impropriety."

She laughed softly, "The 'illusion of impropriety' or actually 'demonstrate impropriety'?"

Hans laughed at that with a blush, "Perhaps the later. We can behave ourselves, can't we? At least for a little while before the world declares me your paramour?"

"That's not as much fun, Hans," she pouted. "But I have spent a lifetime in seclusion, unable to handle the attention without anxiety - I would hate to give the paparazzi something juicy."

Elsa had become restless.

The possibility that she would ever crave someone's presence as much as the air she breathed seemed absurd until a week ago.

It felt as if she hadn't taken a breath in _days_ because her schedule and his had prevented them actually seeing each other.

_And she had to be a grown-up about it._

They had spoken on the phone and texted little absurd bits of nonsense to each other a few times a day, turning Elsa into someone who incessantly keeps their phone within reach (she realized with frustration, but that didn't persuade her to change her behavior). She misplaced it at one point, early one morning before she had her first cup of coffee and cream - grumpy and still half asleep. Retracing her steps between _bed_ and _coffee pot_ failed to find it and she felt her fingertips tingle as her anxiety grew, in a heartbeat she realized that she had frosted the pillow she picked up while throwing the bed apart. She dropped the pillow abruptly and it landed on poor Olaf who had been trying to ignore what she was doing to his warm napping spot. She heard his soft meow of protest as he stood to jump off the bed, revealing her iPhone. _Stupid cat,_ she thought as relief washed over her _._ Olaf looked back at her as he flicked his tail in her direction as if to say, _stupid human; you've lost your mind_ before he flopped boneless onto the blanket she had thrown on the floor, rolling out of shape onto his back.

The infuriating part was that the entire situation was Elsa's doing and Hans was pleasantly going along with it, endearing himself to everyone he came in contact with. Not a single individual or report had had anything but praise for him _(leading her to suspect that her own staff and people would ultimately like him more than her.)_

_Charming bastard._

_And a very good kisser._

The investigation with the Royal Guard had expanded as it was realized what sort of ties Hans and his family had to the US Government and assets in Denmark and Scandinavia – not at all what Elsa thought was going to be "investigated". There had been very little reported back to her regarding prior relationships, it had been years since he seemed to have dated anyone…the last relationship she was told he had was before her parents died, she realized. Looking through the file, she was startled that each of the women held an uncanny physical resemblance to her, causing her stomach to roil slightly and irrational anger to flare – the keyboard of the laptop becoming frosted before she became aware of her emotions. She sat overwhelmed and frustrated at herself as she tried to thaw the keyboard without success, eventually just grabbing a tissue to wipe the keys clean. She grumbled in frustration of her jealous reaction and feeling ridiculous, reminding herself that Hans hadn't known she was real and he hadn't dated anyone in years. The investigation had thus far failed to turn up what she considered to be ghosts or skeletons…

_Gerda sold me a different scenario, entirely,_ Elsa thought dryly as she glanced up to the shoulders of the Captain of her Security Guard walking ahead of her as they climbed the stairs of the residence of the Norwegian Consul General's roof terrace, Eric wore a smart black suit for the occasion, obscuring his firearm and communication link elegantly. She had grown increasingly irritated with him in particular. Earlier that morning as she was shuffling back from the kitchen with her first cup of coffee he was leaving for a workout; bowing respectfully as he mentioned that he was wrapping up his final interview with Hans (ongoing series of meeting for the past few days...Eric had seen more of Hans than she had). She was not awake enough to realize that by " _interview_ " he actually met " _workout_ ". It wasn't until later Elsa had raised an eyebrow as Eric mention the interview during the car ride to the Norwegian Consul General's residence, crossing her arms across her chest when he praised Hans on his athletic ability. Eric had stumbled over his words as he backtracked, "Just that it is important to a soldier, you know, being able to run from point A to point B without collapsing and having the upper body strength to spar. I can relate to physical readiness he has to maintain while in the Navy…I was impressed he kept up without becoming winded, unlike Your Highness." Eric smirked as he delivered the jab at her athletic ability (or rather, lack thereof), Elsa rolled her eyes and sighed.

It was as she stepped onto the terrace aglow with lanterns in the warm summer night that she found air.

He's already there, talking with dignitaries as she is announced. As their eyes meet, she found her lips tingling with the memory of his lips upon hers and something warm blooms tightly in her chest. His smile pulls towards mischief as he respectfully bows along with those around him and it is as if she can read his thoughts as his eyes meet hers through dark eyelashes... _whispering possessively, "My Queen..."_

"I don't know what it is, but I have never cared for Duke Weaselton. I've always though he seemed a little underhanded and not to be trusted," Hans muttered quietly to Elsa as they watched the short man flit off with his associates to the other side of the terrace. Hans wore a beautifully tailored black suit and a magenta silk tie, Elsa felt it complemented her dark plum cocktail dress with an asymmetrical neckline perfectly.

Somewhat surprised, Elsa watched the strange man, "You know him? I've never met him before."

"He has been friends with my father for years…well, maybe friends is the wrong word, perhaps acquaintances? That's still not right. Anyway, he's negotiated some shady deals in a few mergers my father was also involved with and from what I understand, very cut throat and in general untrustworthy."

Elsa narrowed her eyes slightly as the man bent over to tie his shoe, his toupee flipping with the movement and causing her to chortle behind her hand as she bumped Hans' shoulder to make sure he saw. Hans laughed quietly as he whispered, "You're terrible, you know that?"

Elsa suddenly paled as she fell silent, breath quickening and eyes becoming unfocused as she stared at Duke Weaselton and the two men with him.

_Elsa finds herself standing beside Anna upon the dais of the Grand Ballroom as Kai announces with polite formality, "The Duke of Weaselton". The short, strange man corrects him urgently before beginning to address her eventually offering to dance with Elsa with a bizarre flourish and bow, the movement causing his toupee to flip down as if bowing as well. Before the Duke rights himself, Anna begins to chortle as does Elsa…attempting to hide the sound behind their hands as their eyes meet with large smiles, the bond between the sisters suddenly renewed and it is as if doors had not been shut – a momentary glimpse of what life could be like without the fear and anxiety._

Concerned, Hans glanced back at the trio before placing his hand gently on Elsa's shoulder, waiting for her to say something. She blinked and the scene changed ominously, filled with fear and anger.

_Her palace. She's in her Ice Palace atop the North Mountain and she's desperately pleading with the Weaselton guards to stop, to leave her alone, begging them for her life. The men disregard her – she is their target and they won't be dissuaded from their mission. She hears the trigger pull of the crossbow and brings her arms up to cower, the adrenaline coursing through her veins potentiates the power and precision she has with her ice and she unknowingly conjures an icy wall to stop the arrow. Startled and relieved she continues to beg and try to defend herself as the two men move around the icy room to strike from another angle. Dread and anger wash over her as she realized she is unable to flee, she must fight._

Her mouth puckered as concern danced across her face, finally focusing her gaze back to Hans. "It's him. Oh my god, it's him, isn't it?" she said slightly trembling. Hans pulled her to him, tucking her head under his chin as he embraced her tightly whispering, "I've seen him in my dreams for years, I always assumed I just transposed him from real life into subconscious nonsense. _The Duke of Weaselton,_ as if Weaselton is a province to rule. But you've dreamt him, haven't you? His men attack you in your Ice Palace..."

Hans could feel the frost on her fingers as she tried to calm herself, a soft sob accompanies a whispered, " _Yes"_.

_She has to stop the freeze before someone notices,_ Hans realizes as the frost begins to spread to ice upon his jacket. "Elsa, I'm here, you are safe...it was another lifetime..." He released her and gently took her jaw in his hands, tilting her lips to meet his - the frost dissipated immediately as she sighed quietly into the kiss. Out of the corner of his eye he caught the flash of a camera and he realized angrily that in the blink of an eye Elsa's world had shifted and worried if she is ready to face it…and it's his fault. _How long until that photo shows up in the papers and the paparazzi make her life hell?_ Looking down at her sadly, "Let's go, we can talk privately, okay?" Elsa nodded dumbly, allowing Hans to slip her arm into his as they started towards the Consul General to respectfully bid farewell.

_This is becoming far too real,_ Elsa worried silently. _How does this end?_


	13. Chapter 13

The true problem lies in the fact he has spent a lifetime with _Dream Elsa._ He _knows_ her.

He knows her joy, what makes her smile and illuminate the world...where her fears lie and how she manages the anxiety (or doesn't, at times…).

For a lifetime she has been carefully woven into the very fabric of his soul, bound to the light parts of himself that shine as well as the dark parts of himself he had always carefully hidden away from the outside world. The dark parts of himself force him to surge to his feet in the black of night while his mind is still trapped in her world, dropping him to his knees with head bowed – never for the same reason. Some nights his mind returns to him after witnessing the brutality he was capable of - the unspeakable horror he inflicted upon her as he takes her life in his drive for power. Those nights he has fallen to confess his most grievous sins to God and hopelessly beg for a forgiveness he feels he is truly unworthy of. Other nights his mind returns with fresh images of Anna stopping the execution, selflessly coming between his blade and Elsa's neck with a blast of light and power, knocking him backwards and unconscious. Somehow the world is returned to life and balance and love (and a distinct lack of ice and snow). The tears that threaten to spill often do as he awakens on his hands and knees beside his bed, realizing he is not at Anna's feet thanking her for being stronger than him, for heroically saving Elsa and ending the nightmare he was trapped in – his mind too weak and too easily persuaded to see the true nature of his actions.

 _Dream Elsa_ is just as tightly bound to the light parts of himself he proudly reflects to the world, polishing and focusing like a beacon. To the best of his abilities he works; the needs of the many being considered and prioritized over the needs of the few to ensure the weak are cared for with dignity and respect. Ensuring justice and equality is demonstrated by himself and those around him. Polishing and focusing the image reflected to the world of who he can be as a leader, _fake it until you make it._ She is bound to the passionate parts of him that force his blood to surge with heat, driving him to the brink of madness with his desire for her while trapped in (and out of) her world. She allows him in on some nights, sweet dreams of her completion when he is left to worship her form with his hands and mouth and body. She is perfection and occasionally she allows him to chase _his desire_ towards completion, he knows he doesn't deserve her. He falls to his knees on those nights with an ache and need that his hand nor any woman's flesh could satisfy.

He knows _DREAM Elsa,_ he can predict her actions, her desires, her wants, her needs…

 _REAL Elsa_ , he doesn't know. Not yet, anyway. All he has to work with is what he knows of _Dream Elsa_ , which means at any moment _Real Elsa_ is going to let her fear _of her fear_ get the better of her and shut the world out. Including him.

He understands the anxiety that the dread of expectation brings, the accompanied fear that something will happen. Or not happen. How it exponentially evolves if allowed, growing into a horrible monster; he grew up with that anxiety, that fear…until he was old enough to understand that hiding his emotions and feelings behind a mask of indifference could stop the torment. Prior to that age, there was a soft spoken young housekeeper named Maria who would frequently find him locked in closets or bruised and bleeding. She spoke broken English, Spanish her native tongue, but he understood her compassion and kindness regardless of the language. She could make him _laugh_ _and giggle_ and forget the embarrassment and pain with the absurdly funny tricks and jokes she seemed to have lined up for just such an occasion. Laughter and distraction was her magical power to ease the pain. There had been many opportunities as he grew older to apply what he learned from Maria, the thrill and warmth in his chest when he did was wonderful…to help someone cope in a powerful way.

His heart is racing as that realization hits him. _Time to change tactics._

Elsa is genuinely lost in thought, when Hans' voice shatters it.

"Let's do something crazy," Hans playfully whispers into Elsa's ear as they exit the Consul General's residence. Elsa hadn't spoken a word since she managed to thaw the ice from his jacket, her anxiety thickening the silence.

Confusion flashes across her face and Hans can practically see her mind trying to shift gears suddenly from whatever she was pondering moments ago. "Crazy?" she echoes hollowly as she glances at him sideways.

He laughs mischievously as he nudges her shoulder gently with his, encouraging her forward, "Mindless, fun, stupid, _crazy_ …" he whispers lowly, egging her on. "Come on…you're going to be heading back to Norway soon to your stuffy castle and dull ceremonies and tedious _obligations._ Surrounded by trolling packs of pompous windbags vying for your attention. So let's do something fun _now._ Come play with me."

Elsa literally stopped in her tracks.

Her disbelief was palpable, "What?"

His grin widens a fraction at her reaction - having stopped a pace behind him. "No Guards, just us."

She shakes her head perplexed, "I'm sorry, I'm not following."

"I can tell, that's part of the problem."

She stares at him with wide eyes, waiting for him to elaborate.

He smirks at her and says under his breath, "Want to go to Vegas?"

Her arms drop to her sides as she tilts her head, voice raising an octave as she questions, "Vegas? Like, Nevada?"

The confusion etched on her face is priceless, he decides as his eyes flicker with excitement, "Is there another Vegas I don't know about?"

Elsa sputters _something_ that may or may not have been a word. Maybe in Norwegian. That gives Hans a new idea…

"No? Is that a 'no' to Vegas? Perhaps something here in New York?" He pauses for a moment as if deliberating, "Do you have any tattoos?" he says very seriously as his eyes search her bare flesh before cocking an eyebrow and pretending to consider peering down her dress.

"HANS!" she squeaks as her eyes dart around to see if anyone is near to overhear the absurdity spewing from his mouth.

He grabs her hand, pulling her towards the awaiting car, "Hm, want one? Something regal? Perhaps your Coat of Arms?"

She stutters, "Why, why…why in the _world_ would…I..."

"A snowflake, maybe? How about my name? Elegantly scrolled at the small of your back?" He grins.

"A tramp-stamp?!" She huffs, causing Hans to laugh in delight of her frustration.

"I'd get one, but it would look ridiculous on me. Since I am Hans Westergaurd, it would just be weird to have my name on my back."

She just stares at him blankly, probably wondering if he has some sort of underlying mental illness that her investigation failed to reveal.

He sighs happily as he confesses, "I just want to do something with you that you've never done before – give you the chance to experience something you'll remember with laugh and a smile. Please? _Just,_ _come play with me_."

Eric suddenly appears behind Elsa, having caught up with her after the abrupt departure from the terrace. "Should I have the driver take you back home, Your Highness?" he asks quietly in her ear, narrowing his eyes at Hans slightly as he tries to gauge the situation.

Long moments pass, Hans raises his eyebrows questioningly. Elsa's teeth grip at her bottom lip as she exhales slowly…Hans _knows_ he has her. Her eyes haven't left his and the corners of her lips begin to pull as she replies conspiratorially, "Why don't you take the night off, Eric…"

"Atta girl, Elsa," Hans whispers with a victorious grin.


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warning that the last scene there is reference to adult activities but not in torrid detail, just mentioned. At this point in the story it really shouldn't be a huge surprise...those two crazy Royals.

The first text had surprised Anna. But in a good way.

_H: Hi Anna, its Elsa. This is Hans' phone, if you need to get a hold of me just call him (mine is in Eric's jacket and I gave him the night off – I forgot to get my phone from him first). We are going out, not sure when I will be home._

A: Hans?! Hi!

_H: No, your sister. It's just his number._

A: UR w/ him ATM?

_H: Yes_

_H: Hi Anna! It's Hans. Hey, do you think you could convince your sister to come to Vegas with me?_

A: HA! LV?! GTFOH…IMO NFW.

A: .02

_H: What? Is that English or Norwegian?_

A: LOL

_H: Elsa again – Hans has no idea what you are saying. You have to text words. And ignore him. We aren't going to Vegas. I just wanted to let you know I was with him and how to reach me if you need to. Hope you have a good night, I love you._

Anna groaned a laugh, those two are meant for each other.

A: OMG, UCMU!

_H: English or Norwegian, Anna, pick one…I don't speak texting._

A: Good Gosh! Oh my goodness, you crack me up! What century were you born in, anyway!? You two are PERFECT for each other (truly frightening, really). You have my blessing to run off to Vegas and get married. Norway might get mad, but I've got your back :)

_H: ANNA! OMG!_

A: YEAH! You DO speak texting! See? That didn't hurt, did it? :)

_H: Good Night, Anna…_

A: WAIT! You'd better send pics! I love you!

It was after minutes of high pitched giggles that Gerda finally poked her head into Anna's room to see what was going on. Her confusion grew as Anna laughed harder, finally resorting to simply handing her phone over to Gerda so she could read her conversation with Elsa. It was with a frustrated groan Gerda replied to Elsa.

A: Princess and Mr. Westergaard, this is Gerda – I expect Her Highness home at a decent hour and WITHOUT scandalous tales to tell, understand? You may be able to convince the Royal Guard to disregard propriety, but I will not.

Minutes passed without a response, infuriating the older woman to no end. She held on to Anna's phone as she stalked through the residence to find Kai; more than ready to unleash her frustration upon him. She finally found him as the phone vibrated and made strange sounds causing Kai to look up at her curiously from where he sat at the library desk. He stood and gently took the phone from her hands as he waited for Gerda to elaborate as to the problem. "Just read it…" she said. Kai scrolled through the conversation, coming to last text which chimed as Gerda entered the library.

_H: Hans Westergaard here, of course, ma'am. Please accept my most humble apologizes if I have put your staff or Her Highness in any sort of awkward position as this was not my intent. Shall I have Princess Elsa returned home at this time or may I have the opportunity to gain your trust this evening by ensuring her safety and opportunity to see New York City as I have come to know and love prior to returning home to Norway? Please understand I have no intentions of leaving the state to go to Las Vegas with the Crown Princess, I was simply trying to make her laugh._

Kai smirked as he shook his head as he embraced his wife with a sigh, "My Dear, you knew this day would come. Just say good night. This will be good for her, let her try and be a normal young woman for at least one night." Gerda looked at him with a sad smile, "Fine. But I wash my hands of this…you will take responsibility, throwing caution to the wind like this." He laughed quietly as he replied, "Ah, to be young and in love…"

A: Kai here, that won't be necessary. Good night you two, behave yourselves.

_H: Yes Sir, thank you Sir._

* * *

 

"Elsa! Oh my goodness you have NO IDEA how flustered Gerda is at the moment. Like a wet hen! I think the poor woman might have laid an egg or suffered a stroke in the last hour worrying about you! Where have you been all this time?" Anna said quickly in Norwegian as Elsa and Hans came through the front door of the apartment the next morning, at 10:38 am.

Elsa nudged Hans with her elbow, cradling her espresso carefully as to not spill on her silk cocktail dress while whispering in Norwegian, "Chocolate croissants."

Hans's eyes widened a fraction in surprise before remembering the box he held in his hands, presenting it with a flourish and opening the lid.

"MMMMMMMmmm…chocolate!" Anna exclaimed with excitement as she accepted the box. Her eyes betrayed her happiness, "These are from that French Patisserie we found a few weeks ago…you are totally redeemed. Whatever it is you did that required coming home with _this_ is forgiven."

Laughter carried Elsa's voice into the apartment, "Anna, why would you think that?"

Anna smirked as she picked up a croissant and took a huge bite, moaning in satisfaction. Mumbling as she tried to talk with pastry in her mouth she managed, "You're in a party dress, carrying your shoes, and your hair looks like it could use a brush. If I didn't know better, I'd say you look like you are doing the walk of shame."

Hans coughed to cover a sudden laugh as he began studying the parquet floor of the dining room they had followed Anna into, unable to meet Anna's or Elsa's eyes. _There was truly no filtering Anna's words to her sister…_

It was as Elsa's mouth fell agape at Anna's remark that Gerda found her, bustling in quickly at the sound of Elsa's voice and laughter ringing through the apartment. "You're very late, young lady. Dr. Pabbie is in the library waiting for you as we speak and you'd better apologize to him straight away before he decides he's finished with your nonsense. Understand?"

"Oh my, I forgot entirely. I am so sorry!" she exclaimed as she turned to Hans with a sympathetic expression, speaking very quickly in Norwegian, "Please excuse me, I shouldn't be long. Are you able to wait?"

Too sleep deprived to keep up with anything Elsa had just said aside from _"…are you able to wait?"_ Hans simply placed the box of pastries on the dining room table and quickly cupped her face gently in his hands as he pressed a chaste kiss to her forehead, "For you, until the end of time."

Moments passed as Anna stared happily at the couple, drawing a long exhale. Gerda rolled her eyes at the romantic display as she noticed the love struck expression upon Anna's face as she watched Hans and Elsa. Gerda finally deciding enough was enough and she began to shoo Elsa towards the library as she cleared her throat and glared at Hans, he sheepishly took Elsa's shoes from her hands.

_At least has the decency to blush as he looks apologetic,_ Gerda thought with irritation.

But before Gerda could get Elsa to the library, Dr. Pabbie had exited and stood in the hall with his hat in his hand, his untamed hair going every which way, and his cane resting at his side as he leaned upon it. Elsa opened her mouth to begin to apologize when a tall blonde man came to stand next to Dr. Pabbie.

A tall blonde man who looked strangely familiar.

_Déjà vu…_

For the life of her, Elsa couldn't place him.

Until Dr. Pabbie spoke.

"Your Highness, please forgive me as I regret I am unable to stay any longer. My grandson, Kristoff, is due to return to Norway and his flight leaves in a few hours, so I must take my leave at this time."

Her mind flashes with warped memories, trying to decipher and make sense of her thoughts…

_Her Ice Palace...she's at her Ice Palace on the North Mountain and horribly frightened and upset. "Who's this? Wait, it doesn't matter. Just...you have to go," she says with frustration as a large young man with shaggy blonde hair slides to Anna's side, kneeling upon the icy floor. She is stunned by the gentle way his hands rest upon Anna whose own hands are clutched to her chest with shoulders hunched forward._

_Anna refuses, "No, I know we can figure this out together."_

_The blonde man attention is drawn to the dark icy shadows forming around them and up the walls, growing and surging with Elsa's anger and frustration at Anna's persistent defiance._

_"How?" Elsa pleads desperately, "What power do you have to stop this winter? To stop me?"_

_The blonde man tries to pull Anna away and towards the staircase leading out as the icy shadows grow more ominous along the Ice Palace's walls. He finally breaks his silence as he encourages urgently, "Anna, I think we should go."_

_Anna stubbornly ignores him, addressing Elsa as she says boldly, "No. I'm not leaving without you, Elsa."_

_Elsa, left with what she feels are no options to keep Anna safe, surges her powers to create an giant ice sentry, intending to frighten Anna away with reality of her horrible curse._

_"Yes, you are…" she says with finality._

It's Kristoff. He's Kristoff...Anna's KRISTOFF.

"Bjorgman?" Elsa exhaled with wide eyes darting between Dr. Pabbie and the confused young man.

Anna came bounding to the man's side, her easy wide smile and rapid banter displayed proudly as she began to chatter way at how she had met Kristoff at her birthday ball and how he is a businessman from Norway- some new start-up cryogenics company and isn't it wonderful they will have opportunity to get together when they return as well?

"Kristoff. Bjorgman." Elsa repeated flatly.

"Ah, yes, ma'am. I mean, Your Highness," Kristoff said rather flustered as he attempted to bow.

Elsa shook her head to clear her surprise and waved him off to stop. "Nonsense, no need for all that. Please, just Elsa."

Kristoff's surprise was evident as he glanced at his grandfather and back to Elsa, clearly torn on proper etiquette in such a situation. He brought a large hand up to rub the back of his neck as his eyes looked to the floor for answers as he stuttered, "Um, okay…Elsa. Thank you."

Elsa noticed Hans appear in the doorway from the dining room, politely waiting to be acknowledged before approaching. She waved him towards her with a gentle curl of her fingers, "You don't happen to have a reindeer back home, do you Kristoff?"

Anna laughed as her smile pulled to her eyes, "How did you know that, Elsa?"

"Yes, actually I do. Sven…he's been with me since I was young," he replied slowly.

It was clear to Elsa that Hans had no recollection or familiarity with the man in front of them, rather just watching the conversation unfold. She turned to Hans with slightly pleading eyes as she spoke, "Hans, may I introduce you to Dr. Pabbie and his grandson, Kristoff Bjorgman." Then gesturing gracefully, "Dr. Pabbie and Kristoff, I am pleased to introduce to you Hans Westergaard."

Polite introductions and conversation followed and finally as Hans caught Elsa's eye he shook his head slightly as he shrugged his shoulders, _Not familiar_.

"Grand Pabbie, we really do need to get going." Kristoff said apologetically before turning to Elsa and nodding respectfully, "It's truly a pleasure, Your…ah, Elsa." His smile widened as he turned to Anna, "Princess, I look forward to seeing you back home very soon," his gaze lingering, locked on hers for long moments before finally nodding to address Hans, "Hans."

"Pleasure to meet you both," Hans replied glancing between Dr. Pabbie and Kristoff.

"Not at all familiar to you?" Elsa whispered to Hans as she closed the door behind her.

"No, sorry. Neither of them," he said apologetically. "Kristoff looks a little familiar, maybe because I saw him at Anna's birthday, I don't know."

"Strange…" She shook her head before smiling and continuing. "Thank you for last night, I've never had so much fun before in my life. I'm being completely honest – I loved every moment."

"Even when you thought I was going to be sick?" he replied mischievously.

Elsa breathed a laugh, "That was the best part…"

Hans shot her a withering look, "You're cruel, you know that?"

His retort only left her laughing more as she wrapped her arms around his waist and looked up at him affectionately, "You're in the Navy and you get motion sickness worse than me! What possessed you to take me on a twirling ride if you'd get sick yourself?"

Anna had come up behind Elsa, drawing Hans' attention to her, "What did you guys do all night, anyway?"

He smiled down at Elsa with a chuckle, "We played. We had fun…we went everywhere, did you know your sister rocks at karaoke? I can die a happy man now. She'd never been to a dance club before, either!" Elsa groaned at that as he continued, "That was actually irritating, guys kept trying to hit on her…I must have shooed a dozen or so away before she finally said we could go. But what your horribly cruel and evil sister is referencing happened on a ride at Coney Island."

Anna giggled, "You two went to an amusement park dressed like that? Mmm, _conspicuous_ , I see."

Elsa sighed before replying softly, "I know, but not like I can hide from the media anyway…cameras are everywhere despite my best attempts to avoid them. I am trying to accept that I shouldn't worry about what others may think of me. All that matters is what those I love and love me think."

Hans dropped his chin to rest on Elsa's head as he laughed quietly, Elsa closed her eyes momentarily enjoying the feel of his laugh from his chest and the warmth from his body radiating to her. He broke the moment as he spoke, "You're coming this weekend to my family's Fourth of July party, right? Watch the parade of ships, see the fireworks over the water…we usually hang out at the pool all day and the kids run around and play. The chefs grill and we have homemade ice cream, it's quite a Westergaard tradition. Anna, you come too, it usually goes late into the night so you're welcome to stay in one of the guest rooms and I'll take you home in the morning. That way you can both meet my family."

"Oh! You mean meet the future in-laws" Anna smiles slyly, looking at Elsa and wiggling her eyebrows suggestively.

Before Hans had the opportunity to backtrack, Elsa pulled herself from his embrace and took his hand gently in hers as she replied, "Something like that, Anna. But you know, you can't marry a man you just met."

* * *

The holiday weekend passes, Elsa and Anna both joining the Westergaards after coordinating with the Royal Guard to secure the property.

Eric felt the need to verbalize his frustration with Elsa directly as preparations were made, simultaneously photos began to surface online and in the media of her night out with Hans when she had dismissed Eric and refusing a security detail. "You realize that you're being irrational, Elsa. You start dating this guy out of the blue, just as you are preparing to leave the U.S. like you're having some sort of wild fling. And now you are surprised about the attention it has received…I don't understand what's gotten into you. I've known you for years now and you've never pulled anything like this."

Elsa politely thanked him for his candid thoughts and asked him to just do as she asked, without arguing.

* * *

The following week, Hans has joined Elsa in her library to spend a few hours together before he had to leave to report to his Command to receive his Official Military Change of Command orders. He was already dressed in his summer whites (Naval uniform), prepared to report directly after he left her apartment. They had been immersed in a game of chess when Eric knocked on the door prior to popping his head into the room with a dark look. "Your Highness, ahem, there is something I need to make you aware of," he said lowly as he looked between Elsa and Hans.

Elsa looked up at him confused, rising to her feet. "Yes, what is it, Eric?"

The usually very forward man averted his eyes as he mumbled with embarrassment, "It's rather disturbing. Ah, of a private nature. Involving the both you…actually."

She noticed a large manila envelope in his hand as he continued, "This came in the mail today, addressed to me…and um, there may be copies that have been received by others. My men are investigating this as we speak. I'm so sorry…"

He handed the envelope to her and immediately left the room, closing the door behind him. Elsa turned the envelope over to look at the address, no return address or markings are on the envelope indicating its origins. Nor the contents. Elsa opened it cautiously and pulled the single paper from it.

She paled, a small squeaking gasp of shock escaped her lips as she droped the now frosted paper and envelope to the floor.

"Elsa?"  It came as a supportive inquiry, concern etched upon Hans' face.

He stopped before her while she stares dumbly at where the paper landed upside down. She wore an intensity and expression impossible to read on her face with her breath held, as if waiting for something to happen. Slowly he squatted down to retrieve the paper that slipped from her fingers - as he turns it over he is blindsided and unable to prevent the sudden rush of emotions and surge in his chest which causes blood to pulse loudly in his ears. Caught off guard by the image before him, he forgets to breathe.

A photo - black and white.

Of her.

And him.

_But mostly her._

Nude.

The first thought which makes itself known to him, as inappropriate as it may be, is that this is the most beautifully erotic image ever captured on film _(in his opinion)_. _Something one may find elegantly framed and on display as part of a private collection in a bachelor pad or even a gallery...but not._

_Oh my, ABSOLUTELY NOT._

Not of the future mother of his children...and himself...joining as one. For the first time.

Before the cold rush of anger is able to take hold, primitive arousal burns tightly in his abdomen for a heartbeat as his second thought blooms, ridiculous as his first thought and accompanied by misplaced pride. It comes as something he would never confess out loud. _Quite clearly I've claimed her. She's mine._

The photo was taken as they were making love in his bed in the dark of night at his family's home after the Fourth of July festivities had died off and everyone retired for the night...the room lit simply by the full moon shining through the window and casting dim shadows upon their flesh, the captured moment real and passionate as they were hopelessly lost in each other - unaware of the violation of their privacy. The way her plump lips were pursed as she panted _(his name),_ his forehead rested upon hers as he gazed into her heavily lidded eyes fighting to stay open...

He is shocked back to reality by the way Elsa furiously snaps his name, "HANS!"

He can't find the power in him to tear his eyes away from the photo as his voice comes small and unsure, "How?"

Finally the horror and anger that should have taken root moments earlier arrives with a vengeance as his eyes clear and sharply meet hers.

The room has grown remarkably colder in the short time that has passed, Elsa wearing a look of fury with her hands clinched into fists at her side. "It doesn't matter how, what matter is that we have no privacy and the torrid details of everything we do keep becoming public and I can't Hans...no...I..." she tries desperately to control her voice and her emotions, frost becoming ice and flirting with the floor beneath her as dark fractals sharply grow.

His heart sinks as she speaks, recognizing that she is overwhelmed and shutting down, " _I can't, I'm so..."_ she stutters as she hugs herself tightly and begins to back away from him.

"Elsa..." He calls softly as he stands to claim the space between them carefully. His movement catches her eye and she take a larger footfall towards the door pulling her face away from him so she can't see him.

It came so softly and pained that he almost couldn't hear it, "I'm sorry, I am not strong enough...I thought I would be...I was wrong..." Elsa gasps a soft sob as she stops and stills - perfect like a statue. " _I love you, but I can't do this..."_

The frost and ice crunch under his shoes as he tries to reach her before she gets to the door, he manages to capture her hand in his and has to fight the urge to release it immediately - her hand as cold as ice and burns at his skin.

"Don't Elsa. Don't allow your fear to become a monster to control you, you can't run from me or from your fear - you've tried." He pleads urgently as he pulls her into him, using his other hand to draw her face towards his and her eyes forced to meet his. The bright blue has darkened with her loss of control but he can still feel her trying not to give in. He can see her desperately clinging to his words, trying to allow them to sink in as she did a lifetime ago in her Ice Palace when he stopped her from killing the Weaselton guards...

_Queen Elsa, don't be the monster they fear you are…_

"I love you," He pleads quietly as she tries to pull her hand away from his. "You can do this - let me help you. Even if you run or if you push me away, it will always be us, always be true love." He brings her hand to his lips to kiss, not breaking eye contact and her face twists painfully as she holds back tears that threaten to fall.

_At least her hand has warmed and she hasn't frozen me to the floor so I can't follow her…_

Through her frown she whispers, " _True love_."

He tries again as her eyes become unfocused, "A lifetime ago I made horrible choices we both have had to pay for…I allowed my ambitions and deluded need for power to be my monster and it destroyed any chance for us. _I belong to you, my heart is yours and I know your heart is mine…_ "

She stares silently for a long moments at her hand in his, held tightly as he ran his thumbs over the back of it trying to calm and reassure. He patiently waits for her next move, realizing sadly that her decision may be that it will be a long time before he may get to caress her flesh or get to breathe when she breathes…his heartbeat falling in time with hers. _That thought physically hurts…_

Hans becomes aware of the flickering, sparkling light that seems to blink in the periphery of his sight, rising from the ground towards the ceiling before vanishing. He blinks as he looks around the room, _it's snowing in the wrong direction, and vanishing before touching the ceiling._

His gaze falls back to Elsa to find her watching the strange phenomena in just as much awe with a small proud smile pulling at her lips. Her expression becomes enigmatical as she smirks at him, looking up at him cheekily, "You've never seen this before, have you?"

His jaw slacks as he shakes his head, "No. I haven't. Not even in the dreams."

She smiles smugly as she waves the rest of the frost away using her free hand with a just a flick of her wrist. Pulling him to her and kissing him in a way that makes his heart stop she says darkly, "That's right, you were an unconscious heap in the snow on the frozen fjord when I did that for the first time…"

He huffs a laugh as he clears his throat, "AH. Well then…"

She giggles in delight of his reaction before pulling herself tall and regal, leaving no question as to who wielded the power in the room. "I'm returning to Norway. I want you by my side, to be wed. But I recognize you have obligations of your own you must attend to prior to being able to stay. Logistically we need time to make those arrangements but I won't stay here in New York and continue to be a target for the paparazzi prior to my coronation."

"Elsa," he starts as a smile begins to pull.

"No Hans, I'm not running to hide. I am doing this on my terms, I want the control…we do this my way. Oh, and I need a ring."

He slips his hand into his back pocket, removing a beautiful Ceylon blue sapphire set in micro paved diamonds and milgrained detailing along the platinum band and drops to his knee, eyes wide and questioning but with a smug smile that indicated he clearly knows her answer. She smirks at him as she offers her left hand to him so he may slip the ring on her finger.

He smiles proudly at the powerful woman in front of him, "Atta girl, Elsa… _there's My Queen_..."


	15. Chapter 15

It's with an arrogantly judgmental tone the morning talk show host transitions the conversation, "Interestingly, Princess Elsa will also become the High Protector of the Church of Norway as she crowned Queen and I have to question what kind of effect this will have upon her ability to serve in that position, her morality potentially called into question…I personally question what her standpoint on the sanctity of marriage may be."

Elsa growls in frustration, wishing furiously that the hypocritical man on the TV was in the room with her so she could just freeze his lips shut, muttering as much under her breath as she increased the speed of the treadmill to a pounding pace. _That prick has been divorced twice and linked to more women than I know personally…_

The Official Announcement of The Royal Engagement had been made before the scandal broke loose, it took a few days for the infamous _"Bedroom Photos"_ to make it to press, curiously.

_PHOTOS…not just the one._

Each explicit image was viewed by _millions_ before being rescinded or taken down with an apology by the agency that released or published it or website it was posted to…worthless as that was. They had already been _seared_ into the minds of those who saw them. The image of Hans' head buried between her legs as her eyes screwed shut and her back arched, one of his hands pressing her hip down as the fingers of the other hand teased and gripped the nipple of one of her breasts - she pulled at the other with her own small hand to even out the sensation...that one seemed to make the biggest impression on the gossip reporters.

_The perfect girl is gone..._

The crowds who waited for her outside her apartment seemed to _leer,_ leaving her to feel naked and exposed and violated at every encounter. And furious.

She thanked God every night for giving her the strength not to freeze something or someone, cautiously optimistic about her newly found self-control…as she noticed a snowflake falling right in front of her as she ran on the treadmill.

She waved it way with a huff and increased the speed of the belt again.

Anna had returned to Norway the week earlier (coincidentally on the same day the first photo made itself known), and had thankfully avoided experiencing the chaotic nightmare that Elsa was living. In a rash act of defiance Elsa delayed her return to Norway for another week and insisted (to Eric's shock and dismay) on attending to her appointments and obligations regardless of the size of the swarming paparazzi…requiring the coordination of crowd control with the New York City Police Department. The Police Commissioner, a childhood friend of one of Hans' older brothers, contacted Eric the same day the first photo was released to offer assistance, "If there is something I can do to ensure her safety or the safety of her staff, please let me know. I've known Hans since he was in diapers and I want to help him in any way I can."

Hans had thus far avoided the torment of the press and photographers, one to the benefits of being an active duty Naval Officer and being confined to the Naval Base during his training needed to report his next duty station to serve as the JAG for a Command - military instillations guarded by men with large weapons trained to kill typically keep those that don't belong out…and the other Officers and Enlisted who were training with him seemed completely unwilling to assist the paparazzi in their mission to spy on him.

Hans had laughed as he spoke to her over the phone about the leak of the " _Bedroom Photos"_.

"Elsa. Stop. Don't worry about me, seriously. I'll be fine. I have spent my life being tormented by twelve older brothers, this will not phase me. Besides, the guys here were already sorta awe struck with the fact that you have chosen me as your future husband, embarrassingly there was a touch of hero worship in a few of these interactions…especially with the young guys. But now I've been elevated to the status of a Norse God, having conquered the Norwegian Queen, leaving her with lustful wanton urges that can't be satisfied by a mere mortal." Shocked, she childishly hung up on him. She stared at the phone as it rang, groaning as she accepted the call. "Are you drunk or something? And I'm not QUEEN yet!" she spat. Hans laughed as he said indignantly, "Perhaps. I am at the O-club with a few of the other lawyers at the moment. You hung up on me, didn't you? How very mature, of you, _My Queen."_ After he clarified the O-club was the Officer's only bar on the Naval Base and that he had indeed imbibed in a few libations prior to his call, she rolled her eyes (forgetting he couldn't see her) and informed him she was staying in New York for a while longer, refusing to look like she was running away to hide.

Actually, Hans had managed to provide some perspective and relief to Elsa's worries about him and the situation, but also served as a source of irrational jealously and irritation that yet again, Hans Westergaard was capable of being a charismatic leader and endear himself to those around him…inspiring loyalty easily. Something she was still desperately learning.

_Charming Bastard…and there is a horrible double standard in all this._

She increased her speed on the treadmill again at that thought.

Eric walked up to her, watching her for a moment before he flipped off the TV, "You're going to fall off that treadmill or give yourself a heart attack running that fast." Her face was beet red and she was dripping in perspiration as she huffed heavy breathes…trying to outrun her thoughts. She smirked as Eric reached across the controls and slowed the belt to a jog as he sighed, "I'm really proud of you, Elsa. You've been amazingly poised over the past week and frankly, well, we're all in awe of your strength…you've kept your chin held high and not avoided looking everyone in the eye. I think you've done the right thing with all this."

As she caught her breath she replied with a shake of her head, "I never knew what I was capable of."

Eric wore an expression she couldn't decipher as he smiled, "I did. I've always known...I think it's time for me to take you _HOME_ , to your kingdom, to your throne."

She stopped the belt of the treadmill, sadness etched upon her face as she whispered, "I don't know if I'm ready…Eric, I..."

"You're all grown up, you're amazing, and you're ready. I'll be there with you, Elsa. Like always. If it'll make you feel better I can launch spit balls at you like I did in the horrible _History of Feminism_ class you made me take your freshman year."

She laughed at the memory of how vexed she was at him after that incident, he had just begun working with her and no one had _ever_ treated her that way…making him smile proudly at her reaction when she whipped around to glare and throw her pen at him. Just as the professor looked straight at her. Yes, he had gotten her kicked out of the classroom that day. He had apologized, however, and followed her out. And bought her ice cream at the Student Union.

Eric took her by the hand and pulled her down off the treadmill, wrapping his arms around her tightly, "Home?"

Elsa found herself lost in the sensation of being in Eric's arms, different than Hans but still reassuring. "Yes." She stiffened at the realization that she had relaxed and melted in his arms, quite confused and guilty at the feeling. Eric chuckled after a moment and takes a deep breath, cooing lowly at her,"You know, you stink...like offensively. Why do you sweat so much, anyway?" He tightened his grip on her as she tried to raise an arm to punch him, dropping her to the ground with a gregarious laugh, his body caging her tightly to the ground, "I still love ya, though."

She stared up into his blue eyes for long moments before awkwardly replying, "Yeah, I'd better get cleaned up. Thanks for the pep talk, Eric. Really."

Nights in the Naval Barracks had become a challenge, the dreams persistent and unrelenting...

_Frigid, unforgiving air envelopes him as he clutched her limp frame to his chest like precious treasure - the wayward Queen. And she's by far the finest thing he's ever held in his hands._

_Sitron slowly made his way through the blowing snow banks, Hans leading his men back to the Arendelle castle (her men, he reminds himself). He was irritated that he had been so naive and shortsighted as to the true intent of the Duke's men who accompanied the search party - unsure if he was more frustrated that they disobeyed his explicit command, undermining his authority in the situation or that they attacked the Queen._

_The fluttering in his gut and the tattoo his heart insists on making against the wall of his chest as he steals glances at her as she lay unconscious in his aching arms leaves him baffled - why he seems so affected by her he doesn't understand. She whimpers softly, his heart clenching painfully at the sound as her face turns up to his with eyes screwed shut in agony. The young Queen is easily the most beautifully powerful and potentially destructive creature he has ever laid eyes on, yet fragile as the finest porcelain china. The dichotomy she represents is intriguing, he longs to understand and explore and conquer her, not simply her kingdom._

_Anna was too simple, no challenge._

_He realizes he physically aches at the thought that he can't have her._

_Reality was she wouldn't have him...or entertain the possibility of courtship from anyone (evidently it was nothing personal). The reason no one was getting anywhere with her was bloody obvious now. He decides it makes her all the more desirable, his captured Queen...the icy sorceress._

_He lowers his head and presses his lips to her forehead - intending to stake claim and taking what she had denied him over the last year. "If only you had let me love you, things could have been different..."_

_As he raises his head and opens his eyes to the world around him, he realizes the scene has changed._

_She's no longer in his arms._

_Instead, he's back in the Arendelle Castle. Anna lays on the carpet in the library in front him and an extinguished fire, weakly pushing herself up to confront him in anger. Her fury is evident in her eyes, naïvely she spat, "You're NO match for Elsa!"_

_"No. You're no match for Elsa," he states flatly, allowing his contempt for her to show in his face. "I, on the other hand," he went on, standing up and replacing his gloves, "am the hero who is going to save Arendelle from destruction."_

He bolts upright suddenly in the darkness of the Naval barracks with startled panic, hands trembling in anger at the evil arrogance running though his veins that afternoon in Arendelle.

_That was real...how could Elsa possibly love a monster like him?_


	16. Chapter 16

He knows she's there, although she's not expecting him.

_But she's there._ And now he is and he's _overwhelmed_ and that fact scares him, having never felt anything close to this before.

Evening has settled over the City as Eric shows Hans into the Elsa's Manhattan apartment quietly with a jerk of his chin and a fist bump before shutting the door. Hans is in his uniform and carrying his sea-bag, having just left his training command (and coming straight to _her)._ He glances into the living room, absently noting nothing has been displaced…like she's not returning to Norway on Monday, leaving forever. _I suppose the Queen of Norway wouldn't need to concern herself with packing boxes, or living with the upheaval of a home before a move – she's the Queen...rather, will be._

Eric breaks his train of thought, "Hans, I can't tell you how pissed I am about the security breach and the leak of those photos – we're working tracing that still." Eric flushing slightly as he stares somewhere over Hans' shoulder, "I feel like it's my fault, I let her down – all these years and I missed something this huge…"

Hans cuts him off with a shake of his head, "I can empathize with how you're feeling. Never in a million years did I imagine _anything_ like this when, ah – yeah." He stops awkwardly, realizing Eric knows _exactly_ what he was about to say because he's _seen_ and _OH LORD. "_ I hope we can find who's responsible for this," he finishes lamely.

Something shifts across Eric's eyes as Hans finishes, something slightly unsettled but Hans can't identify what that _something_ _is_ because Eric conquers it in a blink of an eye, "Elsa's in her room…I bet she's going to have a stroke when she sees you." Hans chuckles as Eric turns towards the kitchen and waves over his shoulder, "Glad to have you here, seriously Hans. I'll be up and out at 0600 to workout, if you want to come – always good to have someone who can keep up with the challenge." Eric flashes a grin at him, "And don't scare her to death as you surprise her, okay?" Hans replies silently with a smirk and a nod and a wave of his hand as he drops his bag to the floor to set off towards Elsa's room.

The silence is broken by a soft feminine gasp and it's more of the _way_ she says his name that catches his attention rather than Elsa _actually_ saying his name – a mixture of disbelief and hope and slight panic and he spins on his heel to find her illuminated in the doorway of her room at the end of the long hallway. Her hair is loose down her back and she's in a baggy light blue sweater with short jean shorts and _legs…_

He's lost the time between when he saw Elsa down the hallway and now - uncertain of how she came to be folded tightly in his arms as she weeps with sharp breathes clinging to him desperately. Hans buries his face in the soft loose hair that covers her like a shroud, overcome by the intensity of emotions that simply breathing her air again has created. _"Elsa…"_ is the only word he can manage before she's pushing at his chest and shifting in his arms to crash her mouth to his in a wet tangle of lips and teeth and coaxing tongues. Her grip is almost _choking,_ or it's the moment that has left his vision fuzzy with the world off-kilter. With breathlessness her soft voice pants private words into his mouth each moment she breaks for air - distance apart these weeks has made the push together practically painful and he worries he can't survive doing this again.

"Three weeks," Hans manages to say, not sure why or what point he has but it is the first thought to make its way out. Elsa's eyes are wide and drinking him in with insatiable thirst as she moans, _"Torture…"_ as she seizes his mouth again with hers. He smiles through the kiss as _his ring on her finger_ digs into his hair with her urgency. HIS RING.

"Oslo," he whispers as she releases him, "I've got orders to Olso. The Embassy." She smiles at that before pressing herself tightly back to his chest and under his chin. He hears a laugh twisted into her words, "I've already told you that you were going to Norway. _That was an order_. To my castle." His chest rumbles a soft chuckle, "No…I mean yes, but I am currently property of the United States Government until I resign my commission. _THEY_ are sending me to Oslo. I'm not yet yours _legally_ to order and be recognized in a court of law. But the timing of my resignation we'll need to talk about."

"Talk. Privately. That's…yes. Privately. Now." She half-pleads, half-demands and he's pulled quickly down a marbled hallway by a small platinum blonde who is _hell-bent_ on kidnapping him _(he's a very willing victim)._ She grins wicked as she shuts her bedroom door behind them with a _click._

* * *

 

Halfway through undressing him Elsa stops dead in her tracks with glee, incapacitated with laughter at the sight of him. Eventually she spits out, "What are _THOSE_?!"

He looks himself over, aside from the fact he's missing his shoes and pants he's at a complete loss as to what is so funny.

"THOSE!" ( _She's pointing to his (naked) legs)._

Hans' eyes narrow in confusion, somewhat offended, as he looks back at her, "My legs?"

"Why do you have garter belts connecting your socks to your shirt?!" Elsa manages as she catches her breath.

_Good Lord…the shirt stays. Well, this changes the mood of the moment…_

He sighs as he states with amusement, "They aren't garter belts. They are called 'shirt stays' and they help to keep my shirt tucked neatly into my pants so I don't look like a wrinkled, sloppy mess while in uniform."

Elsa's cheeks are flushed pink as her lips resist the smile they curl into, "But why to your socks? Why not to your pants?"

As she's speaking he finds where his pants landed and begins to put them on, Elsa appears crouched down behind him and snaps at the elastic of the 'shirt stays'; her laughter becomes incapacitating as she crumples to the ground and tries to pull his pants out of his hands as she squeaks, " _No! Too sexy! Don't cover them with your pants!"_

"You're lucky I love you, otherwise you'd be more trouble than your worth…" he says with a growl as he scoops her up off the ground and throws her onto her bed, towering over her. She beams a smile up at him, "I love you…come here, _Prince Hans…"_

It's not until he's sated that reality uncurls itself and his mind begins to process the world around him.

_It's snowing. Or rather, she's making it snow. But it's floating, strangely, midair as it slowly shift into shapes._

Kissing her forehead gently he prods, "Penny for your thoughts?"

She's a tangled mess of limbs and warm skin in his arms, folded on her side facing his chest with eyes closed and a content smile twisting in the slide of her mouth.

"I'm going to tell Anna. About my powers." She opens her eyes slowly, slightly uneasy. "I'm not hiding this from her until I _explode_ in anger…that ended badly last time. And I have to figure out how to _tell the world._ "

Guilt washes over him with that, "Sorry…"

She smirks at his quiet apology, " _If I may…ease your mind_ , you said…yeah, no. That went badly. Not again." She absentmindedly swirls frost with her fingertips in the air, conjuring images of Arendelle.

With a somber tone he starts, "Elsa, I don't understand how you can you forgive me so easily. I…"

Elsa waves the snow away as she interrupts him, "What's the last thing you remember? I mean, for certain."

Memories flash and he catches his breath before admitting with a small voice, "It's summer time, and hot. I am cleaning up after the horses at the stables and an enormous snowball, the size of a car, comes out of nowhere, pushing me into a cart of horse dung. And I think horses laugh at me."

She breathes a smirk as she envisions him in his Princely finery, mucking the stalls of a stable, "Why are you cleaning up after horses? How old are you?"

Heartbeats pass before he manages, "I'm not sure, and I'm maybe twenty three or twenty four? I suppose about the age I am now."

Elsa draws a path across his lower lip with her thumb as she cups his jaw gently, "The last thing I really remember is being sick…I act a fool because I get drunk off cold medicine on Anna's birthday and I'm such a control freak I can't just relax and I make a mess of the whole day. The crazy thing is, every time I sneeze these _bizarre_ little snow men appear…" she trails off for a moment, "It was after my coronation, Anna's turning nineteen, I think. That means I couldn't be older than twenty two."

He pulls her tightly to him and throws a leg over hers, "Wait. You knocked me into a pile of horse shit, _thanks._ "

Her lips find his as she replies haughtily, "I didn't know that I did that, _but_ a _h, you deserved it…_ treason and all."

He stiffens at that, a hot rush of fear and remorse washing over him as his heart _goes cold,_ coughing suddenly and pained, " _I'm a monster…_ Elsa, you know what I did, _how could you possibly love me?"_

_"_ What? _You're not."_ Her eyes soften as she realizes how her words affected him, "I am just as much a monster, I made just as many selfish mistakes, almost killing just as many, if not more people. Without your aide to the kingdom while I ran away and had my pity party, the disaster, _MY DISASTER_ , could have been far more devastating and cost the lives of the innocent people of Arendelle. You seemed to do exactly what a leader _should_ do, thoughtfully and methodically take charge and coordinated efforts to minimize the impact of an impossible situation…a nightmare, really. And…I genuinely thought I had to die to end the suffering of the kingdom and end the winter, as did you. I don't believe that you would have genuinely taken pleasure in my death. And after it was all over, everyone was better off except you...I suppose."

Hans remains silent around her, she can hear the desperate _thump_ of his heart in his chest. She kisses his lips, but when he doesn't react her chest begins to ache, "I have no idea where life takes us after that. That may not be the end…"

Hans stares at the snowflakes suspended in the air, trying to wrap his head around everything but unable to reconcile his grievous actions, "My dreams weave strangely, some nights I am successful in killing you and I awake _in revulsion_ of what I have done. Other nights it's Anna's blood on my hands and equally horrific. The difference is, Anna was innocent, you were innocent – there was nothing malicious in your actions, you had nothing to gain…even at the North Mountain, you were defending yourself from two armed men intent on killing you. I'm sure we never end up together…like this." Hans whispers into her hair.

She sighs sadly, "Maybe not. But we don't know…and it doesn't matter, Hans. I'm yours, you're mine, and we are together _now."_ She pauses to push herself up on her elbow, looking down at him with a smirk, "Could you _imagine_ the scandal if we had ended up like this a lifetime ago? I suspect I would have to abdicate the throne to Anna. She would hate me forever for that."

"For loving me or for handing her the crown?" he laughs softly.

She kisses him tenderly, "Both."

* * *

The weekend passes quietly and far too quickly.

Sunday morning provided the cameras posted outside on the street the first pictures of the couple in public since the leak of the erotic photos - _Elsa being escorted by Hans to worship at her church._

Camera men shouted over each other trying to pull Hans or Elsa into conversation, a sound clip to accompany the footage highly valuable. Elsa walked with formal grace, a soft expression fixed on her face with practiced patience. It was at the " _Hans! Who's that beautiful woman who's with you?!"_ that Hans broke his silence with a smart reply, _"I'm afraid you are mistaken, it's the other way around. I'm with her…"_ Elsa's smile cracked genuine and she glanced at Hans, shaking her head fondly as he held the door of the car open for her to enter. As he sat next to her and shut the door she remarked, "Bit of a nuance you corrected, wouldn't you say?" His voice lowered and almost sultry he replied, "An important one. Lawyers like to ensure such facts are explicitly stated. Wouldn't want to give the wrong impression of who's in charge here, _would we_ …" he grinned. She _had_ to kiss him for that.

Hans and Elsa spent lunch and the afternoon visiting with his parents at their home, Hans having the opportunity to speak privately with his father regarding the resignation of his Naval commission and the political and legal ramifications of his affiliation with U.S. military and political interests - and his anticipated position as _Prince Consort_ of Norway after the marriage. His father was gregarious and animated and _so_ proud as he offered advice and wisdom, Hans finding the entire afternoon _surreal_ …Elsa seems more reserved and quiet during the visit, at one point Hans whispering to her, "Are you okay? You seem far away, your mind elsewhere." With a small smile she reassured him she is fine, _just wondering how those pictures could have ever been taken…_ she wrapped her hand in his and pulled him to her for a chaste kiss before her eyes darted, glancing over her shoulder at Eric who seemed to watching her intently. His father seemed to _tolerate_ the intrusion of the Royal Guard (apprehensively). He begrudgingly allowing them to speak to the staff about the invasion of Her Highness' privacy and the photographs - but only after he made arrangements for one of his lawyers to be present during the interviews. A tenuous situation…

That evening Hans clung to Elsa as they said their goodbyes, oddly unsettled with an uneasy anticipation in the air. Elsa seemed to notice it as well, _I suppose it is because my heart doesn't want to be separated from yours again…_ and as Elsa and her staff prepared to return home, both his father and Eric seemed to be at odds – Hans suspecting if Elsa weren't already leaving his father would have Eric removed from the property.

Hans shut the car door for Elsa, leaving him alone with Eric. "Take care of her for me, Eric. I wish I could escort her back to Norway myself, but I know she's in good hands with you."

Eric's expression was unreadable, his jaw twitched slightly as his eyes shifted over Hans strangely, "I always have, I always will." He turned and climbed into the front seat of the car, leaving Hans with a sour taste in his mouth.

Hans stands darkly, shoulders squared and brow lowered as he watches Eric drive away with Elsa, thoughts crackling in possessive anger triggered by the way Eric's gaze had settled over Elsa.

* * *

Eric's words cut the silence of the dimly lit library, precise as the dark shadows of night begin to consume everything.

"The photos were leaked by the Westergaards."

The color drains from Elsa's face as her heart drops heavy to the pit of her stomach, cold nausea settling over her while she blinks. She's left just staring blankly at Eric, breath becoming painful as her chest aches for air. She's waiting. Waiting for more, more words. _There must be_ more. More words to explain why and how and _why._

_No…why…WHY…_

Minutes pass as the air settles thick, Eric waits with empathetic silence for Elsa to respond. He cautiously leans over and shifts to hold her hand reassuringly, the movement breaking her trance and loosening her tongue as she pulls back to recreate the space he took. " _Excuse me_?" comes with strained effort like an apology but laced with indignation, _"I'm not following you, Eric..."_

His hand that had extended towards her recoiled in defeat to rub the back of his neck awkwardly, his eyes hinted at anger as they dropped to the papers scattered across the desk between them, "We've eliminated every other possibility, been through every member of our staff who was at the Westergaard property on the fourth and worked to secure it. That's in addition to the Westergaard staff who had been working during that timeframe, no opportunity or motive was identified," he says heavily, as if weighing the words on his tongue before they are spoken. "That only leaves a member of the family, _or Hans."_

It hurts and it's unsettled and _WRONG…NO…it can't…_

"Leave me."

Shoulders slumping in defeat, Eric rises as he quietly implores, "Elsa, I'm so sorry he's hurt you like this…I…"

"LEAVE. ME. _"_

Vivid blue eyes are fixed unfocused at the table of papers as Elsa fights a losing battle to control the freeze tearing at her bones, _screaming_ to be released. It is at the soft click of the door latch engaging she releases her agonal cry and frost races over every surface of the room in a heartbeat, the room suspended in eerie silence in the wake of her cry. Snowflakes float motionless in the air as jagged fractals grow from the frost along the floor boards. She glares defeated at the physical manifestation of her pain and loss of control; her strength making her feel weaker.

_How could I be so naïve? STUPID, STUPID GIRL. I walked right into his trap, now he's got me and a path to the throne he's always wanted…and the WORLD knows…knows… everything…he's had me._

She closes her eyes to her now monochromatic world feeling a _rush_ and _urge_ deep in her gut as provocation builds at the thought of him the way she hurts… _TRUE LOVE._ Her mind wanders over the flashes of memories she can never make sense of, knowing what was real and what isn't as dreams tend to distort reality and are unreliable. _Hans is truly my fate - inevitable or unavoidable…regardless._ The lyrics of a waltz play in her mind as the urging burns tighter…

_The gleam in your eyes is so familiar, a gleam_

_Yet I know it's true_

_That visions are seldom all they seem_

_But if I know you, I know what you'll do_

Elsa's eyes open wearily and startle wide to find Hans standing before her.

_Not exactly. Rather, PRINCE HANS OF THE SOUTHERN ISLES._

An icy manifestation of him, anyway.

He's in his white Admiral Uniform he wore to her coronation except he's made of ice; every inch of him is devoid of color and every minute detail perfectly preserved as she recalls in her dreams - down to the finely groomed sideburns, plaited epilates, and detailed embroidery on the tailcoat. She forgets _everything_ for a moment as she stands before him with a pull of her lips, admiring her creation before reality pulls her back. With narrowed eyes and a flick of her wrist his icy reincarnation explodes into millions of tiny snowflakes, she watches one chart a course throughout the room before settling on the treacherously icy floor.

Thoughts begins to bloom and swirl like smoke coaxing its way into the air and she huffs as she clears the ice and snow and frost away in the blink of an eye…

_But if I know you, I know what you'll do…_

And it is with enduring faithfulness that she finds herself certain that he will indeed love her at once…the way he did once upon a dream.


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have received a few questions regarding my depiction of Hans and Elsa and their "adult relationship" and that they seem to flagrantly disregard the realistic aspects of sexual relations. While I appreciate that such opinions have been left out of the reviews, I am compelled to defend my Helsa. They are fictional, highly educated and ambitious ADULTS, who are (as far as we know) intending on spending the rest of their lives together (they've talk about being grandparents…GRANDPARENTS)! In an attempt to appease such complaints, I am posting this chapter off schedule which jumps back in time a bit, events occurring around Chapter 14 – I had written most of it before and had edited it out. There are no sexual relations depicted or described...but I personally feel Elsa would be a little vixen, startling Hans and rocking his world. I mean, the suggestive ice gown she transforms into is brazen and hardly daywear (if you lived in the 1840's).

_July 5th_

It was after midnight and despite the late hour, the warm shower had done little to dilute, let alone wash away the vivid memories of the day. Memories that insisted on replaying themselves over and over and over in Hans' mind. Elsa in every single one of them…on deck of the yacht watching fireworks in the warm night sky wrapped in a towel at his side, playing croquet on the back lawn with the nieces and nephews - whiling-away the afternoon wearing an adorable bucket hat and matching pair of lifeguard shorts and becoming very cross at him for roqueting her ball (and sending it sailing out of bounds), in the pool when she and Anna partnered up to lead the teenage girls against the boys in a game of Naval strategy using pool floats and rafts…he and Harold had led the boys to victory. Hans had successfully circumvented the enemy flotilla and captured "The Queen" in the chaos - although the cheater ( _demonstrating poor sportsmanship_ ) tried to discreetly freeze his swim trunks as he took her to the boy's base at the pool stairs. He whispered seductively, "There is _something_ you can offer me in exchange for… _letting you go…"_ She refused in a huff as she conjured an ice cube and shoved in down the front of his shorts…he warned her that there would be consequences for playing dirty…she simply grin, " _I'll take_ _my_ _chances_ ". The wet fabric of her suit clung to her curves and _teased_ him, hinting at the flesh beneath that he's had the honor of caressing privately but couldn't touch or have or taste because of the need to maintain a sense of propriety.

He had been the _perfect_ gentleman the entire day and night, maintaining a respectable distance from her as they sat with the family and offering nothing more than a chaste kiss to say goodnight at the door to her guestroom down the hall.

Yes, he had demonstrated impeccable self-control.

Hans shoved the toothbrush into his mouth with frustration, glancing up at his reflection in the bathroom mirror and wondering how on Earth he got so lucky as to deserve this perfect torture – it must have been extraordinary – whatever he had done, on the level of something meriting sainthood. He spit into the sink and ran the water as he resumed brushing, beginning his bedtime prayers in his head but not getting terribly far before his mind betrayed him with images of the curves of Elsa's hips giving way to _long legs…_ he realized with irritation that he was going to have to get back into the shower to find some sort of relief with his hand if he was going to be able to actually _sleep._

Knocking shattered his thoughts and Hans strode barefoot to his bedroom door with the toothbrush still stuck in in his mouth and a damp bath towel wrapped around his waist.

Hans opened the door and swings it wide, stopping it with an extended arm as his eyes meet hers, "Elsa?!" He sputtered around the toothbrush, quickly swallowing and pulling it out. "I'm so sorry, I didn't expect you," he blushes while the hand with the toothbrush grabs at where to towel is secured. Elsa watched him silently as she cautiously withdrew the arm that had been raised to knock, glancing down at her running shoes. "Ah, is everything okay?" he tries as he watches Elsa curiously, she's in exercise clothes and wearing an odd expression as she bites at her lip looking up at him – a mixture of awe and lust and _definitely embarrassment_.

"Are you going for a run?" he drawls with amusement when her silence persists. She's staring with dilated eyes at his hand that holds the towel around his waist and starts to say _something_ that comes out stuttered and in Norwegian ( _sounds like 'oh, abs…' then a shallow breath and '…nude.')_ , before blinking and clearing her throat. Her eyes snap up to meet his as her tongue darts out to wet her lips, she pulls herself straight and lifts her chin…her assertive posture is a stark contrast to the meekness in her voice as she says, "I. I've come to - to seduce you."

Hans can't help but grin _wicked_ at that, "AH."

In the blink of an eye he's grabbed her hand and pulled her into his room as he to shuts the door behind her, crowding her between the wall and his bare torso with his other arm bracing himself over her. _She smells of gardenias_ , he thinks for a moment as he pulls closer to her, enjoying the sudden sparkle in her eye as she seems to study him through dark lashes. He drops his chin to whisper conspiratorially in her ear, "If I may offer my thoughts on the matter, it would be a far easier endeavor - with a greater likelihood of success, if you stepped inside. Wouldn't you agree, _my love?"_

Elsa's eyes remain wide and staring at his abdomen and the low slung towel which shifted lower as he released his hand to rest above her on the wall. Twisting her hands together tightly she replied breathlessly, "Yes, it would be."

His lips brush the shell of her ear as he says coyly, "It could be a challenge, though. _Perhaps I won't want to be seduced_. Perhaps you misunderstood the situation?" She flashes a smile as she tilts her head slightly meeting his eyes, "If I'm not mistaken, you consent entirely to my advances." The brush of her fingertips across the protrusion at the front of his towel come unexpected, his hips jerking slightly into her hand without his permission and he hears himself keening a sigh _._

The twist of his lips is the only reply he offers regarding her observation of his current state of arousal as long moments pass. Eventually he concedes, "Entirely. I do consent, _entirely_ ," he confirms without taking his eyes off of hers. He takes one of her hands gently and places it to his racing heart, "You have no idea the amount of effort it took for me to behave myself around you today." His eyes flutter closed and his forehead drops to Elsa's as her other hand snakes around his waist and she pulls herself flush to him while pressing her lips to his. She offers a soft kiss as she whispers, "I confess I struggled repeatedly to maintain my distance…" and with a quiet moan, _"…I love you so much._ "

Hans responses similarly as he chases after her mouth with his, she's tilted her head back exposing her elegant pale neck to him as she takes heavy breathes with a shiver. Her eyes are darkened as she pleads, "Hans, make love to me."

He freezes his pursuit of her mouth as he processes her words, repositioning himself to create space between them. He waits for her to look at him directly, her eyes nervously darting over him and eventually seem to settle on his by sheer accident. He prays the intensity of what he is feeling translates on his face as he counters, "Marry Me."

She narrows her eyes slightly, her teeth gripping her lower lip as she thinks and traces his spine with her fingertips. She smiles small and whispers gently, "We've been through this already, Hans. I will, but I can't marry a man I just met."

He mirrors her smile, kissing her left hand while his thumb strokes her ring finger which remains unadorned, "You can if it's true love, which I believe we have established this is. But I fear I must point out that your logic is flawed, and may be called into question if you believe that you can sleep with a man you just met, but not wear his ring. Not that I am trying to talk you out of your brilliant idea of allowing me the honor of sharing such a gloriously intimate act with you."

Elsa drops her head backwards to rest against the wall as she sighs, "Why is it so important right now that I wear your ring? To have a formal engagement? We have a lifetime…I am and always will be enduringly faithful to you, regardless of a formal announcement or piece of paper signed by the Church. I trust you feel the same." Her free hand caresses his jaw before she rakes her fingers though his hair to pull him down to her mouth and teasing him with her tongue to coax a kiss.

Hans frowns slightly at her words, "I do feel the same, but why wouldn't it be important to be recognized formally? For it to be known to everyone how we feel? I love you…"

"I love you, too. I've loved you my _entire life."_ Elsa says emphatically as she entwines the fingers of one hand with his and presses it to her left breast gently, her beating heart pounding a tattooed rhythm under the soft flesh.

His eyes glaze over slightly at the feel and sight of her warm, full breast in the palm of his hand, torn between sending her back to her room and _giving her exactly what she wants…_

"May I play Devil's Advocate here?" Hans says seriously with a heated gaze.

"I would expect nothing less from you, Hans." Elsa arches an eyebrow as she smirks at him sideways.

"What will you disclose to Anna? Have you considered that our relationship may not remain terribly private for long?"

"I have already spoken to her regarding my intentions and our relationship. You and I are two consenting adults in a monogamous relationship, desiring the same future – and vying for the title of _Awesome Grandmama or Grandpapa,_ which by the way, I will win." Elsa finishes with a tilt of her head and click of her tongue.

Hans' grin spreads wider, "You won't, because cheaters never prosper. And you've already demonstrated you are a poor sport and not to be trusted, if your behavior in the pool was any indication. Amazing Grandpapa is on to you."

She shrugs as she continues with a laugh and smile, "And I am fully aware that our relationship is followed and in the public eye – but what happens or does not happen behind closed doors, in the privacy of our bedroom is our business and no one else's."

Hans pulls her toward his bed, turning her as he sits her down in front of him while he flings his toothbrush haphazardly into the bathroom without looking; a clanking sound can be heard when the toothbrush lands on the countertop after hitting the mirror. He looks down at Elsa with a shake of his head; her eyes are wide and staring at his groin. He crosses his arms in amusement while clearing his throat, "Ah, hem. My eyes are up here."

Elsa blushes _fiercely_ as her eyes practically caress their way up his naked torso, making their way to his.

"Yes, but you're the one who put his groin at my eye level."

He can't help but chuckle, "Your lack of self-control is my fault?"

Elsa sputters indigently at his words but fails to articulate a response. Silence settles over them for moments before Elsa manages, "Howsoondoyouwanttohavebabies?"

Hans can't conquer the alarm fast enough as it races across his face at Elsa's question and tries to stall as he composes himself. "WHAT? What language was that? And it's okay to breathe when you speak, inevitably you'll make far more sense."

"Babies?" she says again, this time in Norwegian, embarrassed but refusing to look away from him.

Bewildered, Hans says slowly, "Yes, what about babies? English speaking or Norwegian speaking? I was thinking both."

"When do you want to start a family?" she says sheepishly, dropping her chin and watching her fingers entwine quickly in her lap.

Hans manages to regain his composure and kneels before her, forcing her to look at him as he drawls, "I'm not busy at the moment. I suppose we could start now but I suspect expectations are that the Future Queen of Norway waits until _after_ she is married to begin having a family, rather than producing a bunch of bastards… _ouch_!"

Elsa's hand struck Hans' shoulder particularly hard as she glared at him, causing him to smile as she huffs, "I didn't mean it like that, and I am going to go now if you wish to continue to be petulant."

"How was that childish or grouchy? I was just commenting that the next generation of Norwegian Monarchy deserved better than to be born out of wedlock! I don't think our son or daughter would appreciate that much."

Elsa manages to escalate her frustration and her voice, "I'm just asking because we've never actually talked about it! Good grief, Hans…you want to marry a woman without knowing basic details about how the rest of your life may go?!"

"Shhhhhh…I don't think the entire house needs to be involved in our conversation. And I wish to note for the record that you want to have sex with a man without knowing the same information!"

"Ugh! If it helps, I don't now!" she groans as she tries to stand up, Hans quickly grabbing her to hold her in place.

His eyes are pleading as she tries to pull herself from his grip, "Elsa, stop – we need to have this out now. Regardless of what happens tonight, and, I'm sorry _. I'm so sorry_ if I've made you feel as if you need to be defensive. This is not my intent. Please forgive me, my love."

Her movements pause as she says with annoyance, "You still didn't answer my question. You just made a bunch of snarky jokes."

Hans bites at the inside of his cheek fighting a smile as he repositions himself in front of her, "Babies. Yes. I want to make babies with you and have a family and _everything_ that it entails. The good, the bad, and the ugly. Sooner or later. Perhaps practice now so I'll be an expert later?" he says like silk. "I really don't care when as long as it's with you and it's what you want. Your turn, same question."

Elsa's eyes soften slightly as she clears her throat, "Yes, I want babies with you. But not yet. I was prescribed birth control pills a few years ago when I was suffering from terrible headaches, the hormones help to prevent them, so inadvertently I have contraception."

He smiles and can't find the words to describe how _arousing_ her confession is without it seeming wildly inappropriate, so he remains silent and kisses her softly instead.

"Have you been tested?" is the next bewildering question Elsa throws at him.

Hans coughs slightly as he sits back on his heels in front of her, "Ah, _tested_? Like, my virility verified?"

"NO!" she groans as she says flatly, "For STDs, I am assuming that you are not inexperienced like me and could have contracted something." Her expression is slightly pained and he can't help but feel his heart break a little to have to respond. Hans suddenly feels very hot and very small and the air very thin. "Ah. Wow – a…uh, I am not entirely inexperienced…ah. I, yeah. There have been a couple of women that I have been with, but I haven't been with anyone in years, Elsa, really." He says with remorse in his eyes, "And I would have never…ah, if I. I had known, you…you. You were real." Hans groans and looks away at her sad expression. "And yes, I _have_ been tested, just last month – actually. Part of my active duty physical for the Navy…everyone gets routinely checked out."

Silence seemed to have claimed Elsa and when he finally manages the nerve to look at her again he finds her looking perplexed and jaw slightly unhinged. When her eyes meet his she shakes her head slightly, "Why?"

_Why had I engaged in emotionally unsatisfying sex with other women that I never loved or really felt anything for when the woman of my dreams, future mother of my children, walked the Earth? Because I'm a horrible idiot and completely unworthy of you…_

"Why what?" he says defeated.

Elsa tilts her head slightly, "Why would the US Government test their sailors for sexually transmitted diseases?"

Hans finds he is unable to suppress the smirk pulling at his mouth, he can practically _see_ what Elsa is thinking – _What sort of torrid things happen on your war ships?_ "Well, we are a bunch of filthy sailors. You know we go from port to port…" Elsa's expression shift to slight horror and he continues, "At least, historically that is our reputation…you know, a different lover in every port." He stands up and walks over to his desk as he continues, "I'd be willing to bet that Norway does the same for their military. You know as Queen, you will become the Supreme Commander of the Norwegian armed forces," he says with mirth as he glances at her over his shoulder. She responds by rolling her eyes at him and crossing her arms to her chest, unamused. He begins rummaging through pIsles before pulling out a thick manila file folder and presenting it to Elsa, "My medical and dental records from the Navy, I am actually surprised the Royal Guard didn't ask for copies."

She takes it from him, still slightly confused. The bed shift as he sits next to her and opens the record in her hands and he flips the pages until he finds what he was looking for. "Here, see? Negative." He studies her profile as she thinks, memories suddenly flash of the Arendelle banners that adorned the streets at her coronation. She blinks before looking back at him and says in a way that reminds him of melting ice, " _Oh._ _Hans._ You didn't need to…"

"Yes, I did." Hans finds himself comparing every dream and fantasy of Elsa he's ever had to this moment, finding they don't hold a fraction of the excitement and anticipation that he feels just sitting next to her in the darkness of his room on his bed and talking about the very unsexy topics surrounding sex that he's sure she didn't intend to discuss when she set out to seduce him.

A strange sort of electricity seems to spark in the air between them, sharpening each sensation.

She stands and turns to him slowly and he finds himself holding his breath under her gaze, "You have awakened my heart over these last few weeks, Hans. And I find myself longing to know you in such a way that I can surrender my dark dreams and unburden my mind from my ghosts and _feel..."_

Hans rises as he finally abandons his defenses, taking her into his arms as he begins to worship her tremulously, "I need to have you with me, Elsa. Like the air I breathe…" Hans presses his mouth heavy to her neck threatening to mark her, "Face your fate, _you belong to me_."

Elsa quivers as she garishly untangles his towel and it drops to the floor, brazenly cooing, "No, my sweet little Prince, you need to face _YOUR_ fate. You belong to me."


	18. Chapter 18

It was still early, the dawn breaking over the horizon and sparkling over the deep blue waters of the fjord. Warm sunlight had already begun to stream in at angles through the stained glass windows and on to the rugs lining the hallway floors, creating colorfully contrasting patterns. The castle was cold and drafty regardless of the time of year and but particularly so this morning. Anna sat propped up with her back to the outside of Elsa's door, legs folded neatly in front of her under a cashmere throw and Olaf purring at her side. She sighed and dropped her head back with a thud. And another. Again. And again. She called out in a sing-song tone, "Elsa!? I know you're in there. Let me in… _please?"_

Anna _knew_ it was going to be rough on Elsa to return, but she was thoroughly unprepared and heartbroken at the sight of Elsa entering the castle for the first time in forever. She looked nothing like the confident, strong, and beautiful young woman she said goodbye to in New York just weeks earlier. She presumed the stress of the scandal combined with the long trip and returning home (for the first time since their parent's death) was to blame, but there was something else. The _fire_ in her eyes seemed to have gone out…

" _Oh Elsa, you're here! You're finally home!" she had squealed as she slid down the banister of the staircase to greet her. Elsa actually shrunk away as she replied wearily, "Yes, and I am exhausted now, Anna. Please, just leave me be for now." Anna was too stunned to respond except to sputter, "Oh – yeah, I bet. That's a rough flight. AH, Elsa?" as Elsa tucked her head down and clenched her hands that were held tightly to her chest into fists walking past her. Anna watched helplessly as Kai and Eric escorted Elsa to the private wing of the castle where the Royal Chambers were. "Okay, Elsa, Good Night! See you tomorrow!" she called out, her stomach aching._

She almost called Hans, but stopped herself realizing the time zone difference and what possible good could come out of worrying him, too?

Anna picked her head up as Gerda approached the King and Queen's Private chamber door (now Elsa's room) with a breakfast tray of assorted fruits and breads, smoked salmon, hot chocolate and coffee with cream. Elsa's belongings had been moved into the rooms in preparation for her coronation - and the anticipation of a husband and need for more space. Nothing had been mentioned to Elsa prior to her arrival and Elsa had protest as Gerda apologetically explained and reassured her it was best. Elsa acquiesced almost in a panic to the arrangement and locked herself in for the night. Gerda stopped in front of Anna with a sigh, "How long have you been camped out here, young lady?"

Anna smiled as brightly as she could manage, "All night. But Olaf stayed with me, so it's all good. And now there is hot chocolate!" She cleared her throat as she raised her chin up and spoke loudly into the air above her with a staged voice, "I wanted to be here when Elsa woke up, because I love my sister more than life itself and want to know she's OKAY!"

Gerda knelt down and placed the tray carefully beside Anna before kissing her on the crown of her head, "She knows, and she feels the same way. You both are so wonderful and so _different_ , it may just take some time for her to adjust. Just have patience with her, and you keep persevering on. Keep talking to her, she's listening, I'm sure." Gerda stood and smiled sadly before walking off.

Anna stood and wrapped the blanket around her shoulders, knocking at the door quietly, "Elsa, I'm right out here for you. I love you."

Softly Elsa's voice carried through the wood of the door, "I love you too, Anna. I'm so sorry…"

"Elsa, there is nothing to be sorry for. You have had a lifetime of stress and worry shoved on you in such a short period of time and you're doing the very best you can…I'm proud of you. I just want you to let me _help you._ We can do this, together."

"I'm scared Anna."

Anna blinked in confusion of Elsa's confession as she replied happily, "Of what? You can borrow my bravery! I've got in in _SPADES!"_

The latch of the lock disengaged and the door cracked open silently. Anna took a footfall back to allow the door to open further, the soft rush of _COLD_ air came unexpected as Elsa appeared in the doorway.

The snowflakes more so.

* * *

 

_Twenty-eight and one half hours of silence. And an ocean apart._

Hans hits the red 'end' icon on phone and stares at the wallpaper of his phone (he and Elsa sitting side-by-side on the Ferris wheel they rode the night they went to Coney Island). He's tried desperately to wait for her to call. Or text. Or send smoke signals. Maybe a snowman with a message. Something to let him know her flight was okay and she got home okay and she's okay and that everything is okay. Each passing hour increases the ominous ache in his chest that something is most definitely _not okay._ Elsa's not responded to his text. Or answered his calls. He doesn't dare contact Eric - the sheer fact Eric is there and he isn't adds to the portentous roil of Hans' stomach.

She is terrified of flying. Evidently that fact contributed to her failure to return to Norway until absolutely necessary.

Which was yesterday.

_Correction: Elsa is terrified of a plane crashing into the ocean - flying in one opens up the possibility of such a thing occurring (and thus the terror)._

_Dream Elsa_ froze her plane last night while preparing for take-off, requiring her to stay forever in New York and relinquish her throne to Princess Anna upon her twenty-first birthday. He lived passionately and happily ever after all night long with _Mrs. Elsa Westergaard_ and their many pale blonde and ginger haired babies. And she fired Eric.

He growls at the helplessness and frustration he feels as he strides angrily passes his father's den on his way to the gym to run. He startles at the boom of his father's voice, "Hans? I heard that. In here. Now."

Hans stops abruptly, clinching his hands into fists repeatedly as he backtracks his steps to the doorway before fixing his mask of control and managing in a calm tone, "Yes"?

His father is seated in his dark leather chair (that is likely older than Hans) behind his large mahogany desk with papers askew. He removes his glasses and throws them atop a pile of books and files while motioning for Hans to sit. "What's up?"

Hans plays dumb, "Just headed to the gym for a run. And then likely off to bed. Why, did you need something? Hans Westergaard, Attorney at Law, at your service." He finishes with a charismatic smile, strikingly similar to his father's, leaving no question regarding their relation.

"It's the Hans Westergaard _, future_ _Norwegian Prince_ _Consort,_ I'm worried about. Stop evading the question, what's up?"

Hans sighs as he looks past his father's shoulder out the dark window, "Nothing". He closes his eyes for a heartbeat before clarifying, "Silence. Elsa's in Norway, I saw the footage on CNN of her disembarking the jet hours ago and finally setting foot on Norwegian soil for the first time in years, but she hasn't responded to my text or voicemail."

_Elsa descended the stairs of the jet to the tarmac in the pouring Norwegian rain dressed in a classically tailored navy blue wool sheath dress and a strand of South Sea Pearls around her neck. Eric walked just behind her holding the black umbrella over her with his hand at the small of her back. Her shoulders were hunched forward as she kept her chin tucked tightly down and her arms wrapped around her waist. She never looked up or acknowledged the crowd as she stepped quickly into the waiting sedan._

_She looks exhausted and petrified and utterly alone and Eric was touching her._ That was not what made Hans' heart sink. It was the appearance of small white gloves on her beautiful hands…

"When is your flight?"

Hans glanced back to his father, "Next week."

His father crosses his arms as he sits back in his chair, studying Hans in the blink of an eye. "No. You need to be on the next flight to Oslo. And you need to tell that Queen of yours to get rid of her idiot body guard. He's the cause of all this."

Hans can feel the mask slip and alarm fix itself to face, but is unable to master it quickly enough. He clears his throat as he sits straighter and leans forward slightly, "The cause of what, exactly?"

"Hans, you know…you can't just leave everything to chance. Sometimes you have to give fate a hand! You're a Westergaard…be bold. Take action. Sometimes you need a little insurance that the scales will tip your way."

"The cause of what? Exactly?" Hans repeated more firmly.

"The leak of the photos. It was him. And he knows that as long as he's in Norway, at her side, with her support, there is nothing that we can do about it. So tell me, Hans – what's preventing you from being there now?"

Blood surges violently to Hans' temples as he tries to suppress his anger, unsure of how much of what his father says should be trusted. The man is a master at presenting fiction as fact and getting what he wants.

And Hans has spent a lifetime being ignored by the man.

Hans narrows his eyes and says lowly, "Why? What insurance? Why the sudden vested interest in seeing my happiness or success? What benefit comes to you by seeing me romance and marry Elsa? What is there for you to gain in all this?"

His father rises and looks down at Hans as if he's talking to a small child who doesn't understand the game at hand, "A crown on your head and a throne under your ass."


	19. Chapter 19

Opening the door and revealing herself for who she was to Anna was one of the hardest things Elsa had ever done.

Elsa had opened the chamber door after hours of sleepless deliberation, her mind grasping at distant memories of how Anna first came to understand her powers. She was terrified the memories were wrong – _the dreams were only dreams and Anna was not as accepting and understanding as she was in her dreams._

Following Hans' betrayal of her heart by inflicting the most unbearable torture she could conceive of…the most intimate and private moment of her life (allowing her soulmate inside her and becoming overwhelmed by the entirety of how _right it felt – being whole and complete)_ presented to the world to see was horrid humiliation.

Particularly for someone so introverted and prone to anxiety. Anna's disappointment or rejection of her and her magic was something she feared she would not survive.

But seeing Anna's eyes light up in wonder when she saw the snow and glittering ice and hearing the astonished catch of her breath, "Whoa, Elsa – that's so beautiful…" was like a lifeline she hadn't allow herself to dream possible.

The entire chamber and connecting corridors and rooms were a disastrous mess, in Elsa's opinion. The snow had fallen and ice glistened and coated the rooms without Elsa being able to stop it (she was exhausted and felt helpless to resist the magic).

It physically hurt to try.

There was a painful hole in her chest and a throbbing in her head that was relentless, pulling at her magic and ripping at her bones. Elsa felt hopelessly defeated and raw. That every ounce of control had been depleted as she tried to suppress the swirling storm inside her.

In retrospect, she was amazed she contained the freeze until she frantically shut the chamber door for the night. The very moment the door locked the power overwhelmed her and she turned what was up until that moment her parent's private chambers into her desolate icy nightmare. She was overcome with grief as she slumped defeated to the ground, sadness and guilt and anger fighting for control of her as she mourned their death again but along with Hans' betrayal. Once again Elsa was left feeling alone and terrified. As she sobbed uncontrollably, she wondered if the pills had anything to do with her reaction.

Dr. Pabbie had accompanied her on the flight home to supervise and monitor her sedation; they had tried conquering her debilitating fear of flying many times over the years following the death of her parents but without success. It was as a last resort that she agreed to the use of medications to calm her and relieve the panic, she realized she was putting the plane and everyone aboard at risk by not being sedated for the flight _(the terrifying thought repeatedly occurred to her that she would freeze the plane as soon as it was in the air and it would come crashing down into the ocean. The following thought was usually something about ice floating…so at least the victims and any possible survivors may have a chance to be found. Then her contemplations deteriorated darkly from there as fears usually do)._

The concoction of medications began to take effect before she left her Manhattan apartment, she felt so strangely detached and everything surreal. She had the most bizarre thoughts spring to the forefront of her mind that she found she was unable to filter her words, they would spill out like vomit. Everyone seemed most amused by this, Eric particularly. ( _"This reminds me of a time back in high school when my goody-two-shoes sister accidently ate some of my 'special brownies'", he said with a smirk. Elsa bristled at the comparison, "I don't appreciate what you are insinuating, don't call me obtrusively virtuous_ _or imply I am on drugs. Because I am. And you're being a prick."_ _She failed to realize that she confirmed everything he had said and was agreeing with him.)_ He laughed loudly at that and became persistent in egging her on, continuing strange conversations based off the asinine things she mumbled. She misplaced her iPhone at one point (never did find it) and was adamant that Olaf was behind it and deteriorated into a fit of giggles when Eric took him "into custody" and put him "behind bars" (picked him up and stuck him in his cat carrier to leave for the airport). Gerda was immensely irritated with the entire situation, scolding Eric to leave Elsa alone which caused Elsa to speak more and occasional obscenities to tumble out of the royal mouth. Gerda huffed, "Govern you tongue, young lady! You may be my future Queen but that does not give you license to disregard all sensibilities!" Elsa laughed harder and it only served to encourage the behavior. Dr. Pabbie just shook his head with a smile and encouraged Elsa to be seated and quit walking (stumbling) around.

She couldn't recollect boarding the plane, or really anything after leaving the apartment and before they had landed in Oslo; Gerda helping her to change into her navy blue dress and clasp her pearls on is where time seemed to restart. She had reached up to touch the beautiful white spheres as she looked dazed and confused at her reflection – suddenly frosting one of the pearls. Reality promptly affixed itself to her mind and her apprehension and angst regarding her situation flooded over her as she clutched her hands tightly to her stomach and turned to see if Gerda had noticed. It was then she spotted the white gloves and matching hat sitting on the table, she grabbed the gloves and quickly put them on as Eric was pushing her to the door to disembark the plane.

The long drive to the castle was a drug induced haze. The only thing she could recall was in no way real, but rather imagined - quietly sitting next Hans in the sedan as he held her cold hand in his and wrapped his other hand atop to warm her. She rested her head against his shoulder with her eyes closed and drifted between levels of consciousness as the world blurred. She was unaware of what exactly her existence in it was. Hans had whispered quietly to reassure her she was safe as he squeezed her gloved hand and kissed her temple, but her mind still under the fog of sedation caused her to slur slowly her whispered reply between deep breathes, _"I love you. And I know you're my fate. But why did you do that to me, to us? I don't understand." Hans remained silent as she snuggled closer and groaned, "You're an asshole and I'm not ready to talk to you right now. You can take your manipulative self elsewhere until you're done with your game of thrones, Prince Hans of the Southern Isles. You tried to take my throne once, you evidently didn't learn your lesson. I haven't the time nor the patience to play this game with you again. Try again in the next life…" She threw her other arm over to smack Hans in the chest but ended up just flopping it into his lap and embracing him. Hans' only response was a confused, "Hm?" She groaned as she continued with her slurred rant, "Treason, attempted homicide, negligence and failure to render aid. You left Anna to die and raise a blade to my neck. And I forgave you. Yet you do this? How many times must I be fooled?" She exhaled dramatically and whimpered, "I love you, you are my fate, but you are poison…"_ He had the decency not to reply as she fell asleep.

It was as Kai escorted her into her parent's chambers and presented them as hers that she knew her control was gone, the ice tearing at her fingertips and toes. Gerda was already there with a list of reasons and explanations lined up on her tongue, each extremely rational and supported by logic and leaving Elsa no option but to acquiesce in her panic and lock the door behind her. Her night was spent battling her inner demons and the dark ghosts who haunted her.

Anna's bright smile was like a beam of morning light streaming through storm clouds reminding her that light and love and hope are real and she _should_ dare to dream. Elsa felt a weary smile pull at her mouth as she confessed to Anna, "Evidently I'm the Snow Queen…"

Anna tumbled into the room and threw her arms around Elsa with a laugh, "Oh, Elsa! You're magic! Just like in my dreams!"

Elsa stood shocked as Anna clung to her, eventually she pulled back to look at her face with a whisper, "What was that?"

Anna giggled madly as she wadded through the snow to retrieve the breakfast tray in the hall, "Elsa, you stinker! You've been able to make magic this whole time and you didn't tell me? Well, I'll still give you your morning coffee because nobody likes a grumpy Elsa. Especially one that can turn you into a snow ball!"

Elsa watched Anna in disbelief as Anna kicked the door closed and shuffled to the sideboard by the grand window and brushed the snow away with her elbow to set the tray down. She returned to Elsa and shoved a cup of hot coffee into her hands. Elsa blinked at her hands now holding the steaming cup, "No, I've only had my powers for a couple month and I fear they are getting stronger, harder to control. It's like I'm cursed." Elsa took a sip from the mug and sighed hoping to avoid telling Anna the connection to Hans, "You've had dreams that I conjure snow and ice? Why didn't you tell me?"

Anna shrugged, "Ah, I don't know…it didn't really seem important. They were just dreams, Elsa. Not real. Well, I guess. So this all started this summer?" Anna looked slightly perplexed as she picked up her hot chocolate before shaking her head slightly and smiling brightly, "Oh man, what are you going to do about your winter wonderland in here? Gerda is going to kill you for ruining the floors…"

Elsa found herself overwhelmed by Anna's giddiness and flighty thoughts, breathing a laugh as she relaxed her shoulders and surveyed the chambers. She smiled shyly, "I can thaw it, at least so far I have been able to. I just was having trouble this morning. The last few days have been awful and unbelievably stressful…that makes it hard for me to focus on the love and warmth of the magic." Anna's proud grin and "Wow" solidified and grounded Elsa and she raised her chin and hand, almost conducting the snow and ice in a choreographed dance as it spiraled and flicked before disappearing. In moments, she had cleared the chamber and rooms of the ice and snow. Magically everything was restored to normal (and dry).

Anna whistled lowly, "You're _amazing_." Elsa smiled modestly, "Thank you. You have no idea how thankful I am to have you in my life and to have your love and support. I couldn't do this without you, Anna."

Anna took Elsa's mug and set it down on the breakfast tray before pulling her into a hug, "You're going to make me cry, stop it! And I'm not the only one who loves you so much, Kai and Gerda are practically family, and you've got Hans."

Elsa tucked her chin down as she looked away, "I know. I do."

_Please don't ask about Hans. Please don't ask about Hans. Please don't' as…_

"Does Hans know?"

The pounding in Elsa's head returned with a vengeance as the question escaped Anna's lips.

"Ah, yes. And he didn't freak out, his reaction was almost exactly like yours…actually." Elsa stared blankly at Anna for a heartbeat as she realized the similarities Anna and Hans had. Both were charismatic, quick to loyalty, playful, and loved her. That last thought slipped in and hurt.

"Oh my gosh, I can't _WAIT_ to talk to him. OH! Can we turn a ballroom into a skating rink? I had a dream about that once. And can you make a living snowman? Olaf isn't meant to be a cat! He's a snowman."

Bewildered and unable to respond, Elsa approached the chamber door with her arms crossed and hands grasping at her elbows, "I am so sorry Anna but I didn't sleep last night and I am absolutely exhausted, would you be offended if I rested for an hour or two? You're welcome to stay with me, if you want to read or something. Or I'll come find you when I am up?"

Anna blinked before quickly reassuring, "Don't be silly Elsa, you rest. I actually have a lunch date I need to get ready for! Kristoff will be here later. But I can absolutely cancel, if you want me to stay. I just figured you were going to be tired and keep to yourself today and I would be on my own. And that you would be completely normal." Her eyes darted quickly from side to side with an apologetic grin, "I mean that in a totally non-judgmental way. I mean that you are amazingly magical and there is no way I could have guessed you are so special!"

Elsa laughed shyly at the strange complement as she embraced her sister, "Anna, thank you. And enjoy your date."

As she shut the chamber door quietly, Elsa dared to allow the optimistic hope she felt to bloom in her chest.


	20. Chapter 20

"Dude. It's three am. I know you are smart enough to calculate time zone differences," Eugene snapped before remembering his wife asleep at his side and cringing slightly at his volume.

"I'm so sorry, I do know the time in Germany but I have to talk to you. I have no idea what the hell to think and I need your help to process things."

It was the strange urgency in Hans' tone that awoke Eugene immediately. He glanced back at Rapunzel to find her with her mouth slacked to the side and her arm thrown over her head in the most uncomfortable looking position – still asleep. He smiled as he pushed up from the mattress and swung his legs over the side of the bed to quietly scurry out of the room into the dark.

"Alright. You've got my attention, Hans. Is this something I need a drink for or just a cup of coffee?"

The only response he heard was a heavily stuttered exhale and groan.

"Drink it is," Eugene muttered as he entered the kitchen and opened the refrigerator to grab a beer. Hans remained oddly silent, leading Eugene to prod the conversation along after he took a swig of the Doppelbock. "Spill it, Hans. I'm presuming this has something to do with your family or with Princess Elsa."

"Both," Hans cleared his throat before moaning, _"Oh…god."_

A slightly gasped inhale could be heard from Hans as he fell silent for long moments before continuing, "The photos leaked to the media of me and Elsa came from my dad's security system. He had a camera outside my bedroom window _…that was somehow repositioned to view inside._ "

Eugene stiffened, "Oh no…"

Hans was silent.

"Yeah, I meant to ask you why you didn't shut the curtains before going at it. I suppose hindsight is 20/20…"

Hans snapped defensively, "My bedroom is on the third floor! Who's going to be looking in? Anyway, focus, Eugene. You're not helping." He groaned as he continued, "Dad told me tonight that the server's records indicated the security camera's hard drive was compromised on the fifth of July and he says it was from outside his network. The images were downloaded straight off the server fIsles. That is how the photos were obtained. He's had his people looking into it and when the head of Elsa's personal guard started poking his nose around, my dad got his lawyers…"

" _Oh no…_ " Eugene interrupted.

"..involved, and that's when the red flags started going off. I won't bother going into the details since I don't place any validity into what my dad says, just a gut feeling I have…but he's telling me the head of Elsa's personal security is behind the images being released to the media."

Eugene ran a hand through his hair in frustration, "WHAT? THE. HELL?"

"What am I going to do?! Dad says he's working 'quietly' with some friends at the NYPD and with the District Attorney, but there has got to be more that he's not telling me. Something doesn't fit."

"I've heard stories of the manipulative, underhanded schemes he's been involved in politically and legally…he's never crossed a line like this before. At least, gotten caught. You think he is up to something, not having turned all this over?"

"Eric has got to have some connection to my dad, some link that keeping this quiet and him out of prison makes him useful. Why else would he not implicate Eric immediately and prevent him from leaving the U.S.? Norway has an extradition treaty with the U.S. but generally our prison system is felt to be inhumane and Norwegian judges have refused to honor the treaty. As long as Eric is there in Norway, there is little we can do successfully without making this into an even larger scandal and torturing Elsa further. I'm watching everything crumble around me and I'm losing control. I even raised my voice at my dad. LI-TER-A-L-L-Y. AT. MY. DAD."

" _Shit._ Seriously? You're still alive. That's astonishing." Eugene coughed.

"I'm more valuable alive and on the throne of Norway than I am six feet under."

Eugene was silent.

"Evidently," Hans said bitterly.

"Damn." Eugene said faintly as he finished off the bottle in one chug.

"I can't do this to her again…"

Eugene sputtered his beer, "Again? What do you mean by _AGAIN?_ "

It was the sobriety of Hans' voice that worried Eugene more than his words, "I betrayed her once before. In another life."

"How much have you had to drink tonight, buddy? Let's get wrap this up and go back to sleep. Call me in the morning."

"No. I'm on my way to the airport, I'll be in Oslo later today."

"NO. You're going back home, Hans. Turn around. Don't get on a plane delusional and expect to get off immersed in a reality that you can magically fix whatever this is. Stop and think."

"Eugene, what am I to do? I have to go to her, I have to tell her. She forgave me and offered me the _world._ A chance to spend the rest of my life with her and I can't lose that. I can't lose her." Hans whispered, "I won't ignore everything about how the photos were taken or how they were leaked. I have to tell her what involvement my family has in this. Regardless if Eric is behind it."

Eugene sat on the countertop of the kitchen, "Back up. You said you 'betrayed her once before and she forgave you'. _Translate_."

The silence was long enough that Eugene suspected his phone had died. "Hello?"

"I'm here."

"Then talk. What did you mean by you betrayed her once in another life?"

"You'll realize I'm insane and you won't believe me, so there is no use in trying to tell you. Just…" Hans exhaled loudly.

"I've been your best friend since we hit puberty. Try me."

"They're just dreams," Hans said quietly with a strange conviction that sounded hollow. "But they're more than that. Please, I'm a horrible human being."

"Hans, you're not making any sense. What did you do?"

Heavy breathes and a sigh preceded Hans' confession, "I left her sister to freeze to death and tried to kill her. And usurp her throne."

Eugene laughed so hard he was practically wheezing, Hans hung up on him after thirty seconds and Eugene had to call him back.

"Are you finished?" Hans seethed.

"No. And you're not insane. You just dreamt all this." Eugene laughed.

"I've dreamt of Elsa my entire life, long before I ever knew she was a real person." The mortification in Hans' voice was undeniable.

"You want to talk crazy? I have dreams that I'm a thief and I steal crowns. Your darling twin brothers, _The Stabbington brothers_ , are in these dreams. And that's a name I knew them by long before the house party incident and you dad nicknamed them while staring at them through the bars of the holding cell. I find Blondie in a tall tower secluded from the world for eighteen years because her hair has magical powers and glows when she sings. And it's ridiculously long. And she's a kidnapped Princess."

The silence was startlingly grounding and cathartic all at once.

Hans shattered the silence, "Does she dream of you? With the same strange threads?"

It's Eugene's turn to become mute…unable to articulate himself due to his surprise, "Yeah." His voice is small and humble, "She does. She told me once she had dreamt of me years before we ever met."

"She's your match, Eugene. Your true love." Hans says with envy.

Eugene sat silently studying the gold band on his left hand, "I thank God every morning for allowing me to find her in a more honorable way…"

"Elsa's my match."

"Oh."

"What do I do?" Hans whispers desperately.

"Go to her. She'll have to understand. _Oh god…I'm so sorry, Hans."_

"Me too."

The gentle buzz of the beer had kicked in, "Hans, I…let me help. What do you need?"

Hans stumbles through his trouble articulating himself, "A. A miracle, my friend."

* * *

"I see the midnight toker has decided to grace us with her presence," Eric called down the hallway to Elsa as she emerged from her chambers.

Elsa glared as she turned to face him, "I haven't had my coffee and I am in no mood to decode all your obscurely veiled insults at the moment, Eric."

He had the nerve to laugh.

"A 'midnight toker' is someone who smokes marijuana only in the middle of the night to hide what they do and it's hardly an obscure reference. It's from the lyrics of an old song. And you're quite unpleasant at the moment…I have some of your precious coffee right here for ya, Princess. It's not spiked though. I think you'd benefit more from a shot of something strong than from this caffeine," he smirked.

Her eyes fell to his hands and the travel mug he was holding, "Serious. Is that for me?"

Eric flashed a smile, dimples puckering into his cheeks. "For you, Princess. Anything you want."

Elsa groaned and took the offered mug and turned to go back into her chambers, "Thank you."

"Wait! I need to talk to you, can I come in?" He interrupted.

She motioned with her hand as she took a sip of coffee, inviting him to follow. She walked straight to the oversized armchairs by the alcove. Leaded windows overlooked the fjords, the afternoon light streaming brightly through them. Elsa sat quietly drinking her coffee and looking out the window as Olaf strolled over to greet her and jump up into her lap. She closed her eyes as she sighed, "I hate jet lag."

"I think what you feel is being hung over or coming down from a high or something. Man, you were lit." Eric laughed as he sat down across from her and slouched into his chair. "Dr. Pabbie has the good stuff, that's for sure!"

"Is there actually something you need to talk to me about or can this wait until I've caffeinated myself appropriately, Eric?"

Eric raised an eyebrow, "Fine. Yes, there is." He sighed dramatically as he sat straighter, "First of all, all the TV here is in Norwegian. So…I am wicked bored since I don't actually speak Norwegian."

Elsa rolled her eyes and slouched into the back of the chair further.

"Second, I found your phone, it was stuck in one of my bags. So as you can see, Olaf was released from jail with an apology. You missed a few calls and texts from that fiancée of yours."

"I already told him I wasn't ready to speak to him yet," Elsa replied flatly.

Eric chuckled, "When was this? In the car ride from the airport to the castle?"

Elsa paused, very bewildered. Her eyebrows pulled tightly together as she frowned at her coffee, "Yes. No." She took a sharp breath as she started again, looking up at Eric for help. "Yes. But. Wait…"

"That was me, Elsa." Eric said surprisingly gentle. "I was holding your hand in the car."

It was with startling clarity she remembered her words, her accusations, and frustration. She was suddenly ashamed and embarrassed.

"Elsa, I have worked with you for years now. I like to think we can be open and honest, right?"

She stared at her coffee with wide eyes, "Yes. I agree entirely."

Her eyes met his to find him gazing softly at her, "Elsa, is there something I need to know?"

"No, there isn't."

"You said…"

"NO. THERE IS NOT," she said sternly as she raised her chin and drew herself tall. "And I will remind you that I was under the influence of sedatives prescribed by a physician."

Eric smiled warmly, "No need to remind me of that, Princess. You were very hands-y. Very out of character for you and my job is to protect you, keep you safe. Ensure you aren't taken advantage of…"

"Thank you for your discretion and understanding, really."

"Just so we are on the same page, how do you want me to handle Hans? If he calls me or shows up?"

Elsa looked sadly at Eric before stating, "He. I…"

"Just tell him you aren't ready to speak to him? You'll call him when you are?"

"Something like that, thank you."


	21. Chapter 21

He's standing in Elsa's private quarters, waiting for Anna to retrieve Elsa and reunite him with her. He had called Anna just as the plane was boarding, explaining his concern regarding Elsa's silence ( _feeling foolish when Anna mentioned that Elsa's cellphone was misplaced during the trip and she hadn't found it yet. That was logical. Still didn't ease his mind as much as he hoped, however)._ Anna had even picked him up personally from the airport and brought him to the castle, abuzz with excitement about Elsa's spilled secret.

She reassured him that Elsa was fine.

Exhausted, but fine.

And MAGICAL.

_(Yes, I know Anna – she is amazing. Yes, I've seen her make the magic before, she frosted me with her ice a few times before she started to get control of it (Anna laughed loudly at that). Yes, Anna, it was cold. I have reminded her that it is a good thing I am madly in love with her, a guy might take offense to the sudden appearance of ice in his presence, otherwise.)_

Anna's voice calling ' _goodnight'_ and the door closing loudly prompts him to turn, finding Elsa with him.

"Hans?" Her gaze is angry and her blue eyes tinted dark with unexplained hurt as she stares at him in disbelief.

He would have never guessed that his name on Elsa's tongue could sound so perfect and so venomous in the same breath.

"Elsa," he murmurs helplessly as he strides confidently and determined to her, focusing on the _perfect_ and not the _venom_. He takes her up into his arms as he frantically tries to decipher her behavior. She's not fighting him, not pushing him away, she's even kissing him back. But after brief moments of her body brushing intimately against his she's gone rigid and _cold._

Although he slept on the plane, his mind is not as sharp as it should be and he finds his damn heart controlling him when his mind should be at work. "You're okay. I was so worried when I hadn't heard from you." He rests his cheek to the crown of her head before he presses his lips to the top of her soft hair that drapes down her back.

"How did you get in here, Hans?" Her voice is muffled and offended as she speaks into his chest, and, _oh…NOW_ she's pushing him away with icy fingers.

"How did you get past Eric? The guards?"

"What do you mean, 'get past Eric?' Anna brought me here." He doesn't understand the look of distain or the disappointment that covers her features as she steps out of his reach, "Elsa, what's going on? What's happened?"

Her back is ramrod straight and her shoulders pressed tightly down as she holds herself proud. She doesn't hesitate to respond, "I won't play your games, Hans."

Confusion flashes across his face, "I don't understand where all this is coming from. On my honor, I'm not trying to play you."

"The photos, Hans. You were so _desperate_ for me to agree to marry you, despite my reassurance and pledge that in time I would. You _had_ to manipulate me - pressure me to announce to the world my intentions and your future station. You simply changed tactics to get your throne. "

His pupils shoot wide as he pleads, "NO! Elsa, you've got this all wrong."

"Do I? The camera was outside your window, Hans. The one you chose not to close."

The fact she already possessed that piece of information is startling, he hadn't told her yet. He chooses to follow her train of thought rather than stop her there, deciding it wouldn't change anything in this heartbeat, anyway. Hans crosses his arms in front of his chest and lowers his chin as he reminds her, "Nor did you."

Elsa practically _growls, "So I set all this up? I had pornographic pictures taken of myself and sent them off for the world to see?"_

Elsa's not moved from where she stood. Neither has he. The room is significantly colder than it was moments earlier, but thus far no ice.

He gestures towards her gently with one hand, " _Elsa,_ of course not. But neither did I. I could never hurt you like that, you're my match - you're supposed to be the mother of my children."

Her blue eyes betray her inner conflict as her chest rises and falls under slightly labored breathes. She appears torn between what to believe and how to feel, trying to decode him and identify the real threat from fake ones.

He tries to explain to her what he knows, what his father had said, and what he trusts is fact and what he suspects is fiction.

The implication of Hans' involvement by Eric, the declaration of his guilt and how fast it spread like poison in Elsa's blood solidifies Hans' decision. _"I have to go, Elsa. Until we know what's going on,"_ he whispers sadly.

Her heart is too hurt and mangled from trying to understand.

The press of her lips comes softly as his hands gently skim her side and hips before pulling her into his embrace.

She doesn't truly want him to leave, they simply needs time and privacy. "I love you, we just…" she breaks off unable to finish.

"I refuse to allow you to be made into a pawn, in whatever this is. It's bad enough that I have been, but I've come to expect it – I'm a just means to an end." And with that he's given up trying to hold back the dam of emotions he's tried to contain up until that moment, losing himself to the feel of her flesh under his fingertips.

"I'd do anything for you, Elsa. I'll wait another lifetime if I have to, be with you the way I _need_ to _. It's like a lust in my body that burns me,_ " he offers as he crashes his lips to hers with a loss of control he hadn't realized had occurred.

He's pressed her up against the nearest wall he could find as his thigh pushes between her legs, hands grasping possessively at the thick of her hips, grinding against her. Overwhelmed by her kiss, he's lightheaded and adoring the way she pants for breath in time with him as he breaks for air.

Elsa has a hand woven roughly in his hair, forcing him back to her as her other hand slides up under his shirt to grip his side frantically, her engagement ring twisted towards her palm and scratching at his flesh as her fingers scramble for purchase. She takes advantage of his thigh pressed to her core, arousal sparking brightly and causing heat to surge through her abdomen and pulling tightly to her toes. She begins to rock against him as she makes fast work of his shirt, breaking away from his mouth momentarily to discard the offending fabric to the floor.

Her mind has gone blank, her body now in charge and driving her to loose herself in him. She tips her head momentarily to gasp for breath and thoughts begin to return. _Oh - he's harder than I thought he would be…and this certainly escalated quickly._

Her lips quirk into a grin…

"Bed," she pants. For fleeting moments she realizes she's taking Hans into the bed she was likely conceived in and finds it oddly arousing. _She is utterly ashamed at that thought._

* * *

 

_Goodbye…_ That one word is poured into every brush of his fingertips across her flesh, in the heat of his tongue melting her icy tears, and in the drag of his teeth against her neck. He's studying to memorize every taste of her he can and every sound he can evoke her to make.

She holds his jaw in one hand and buries the fingers of the other in his hair as she directs the tilt of his head, deepening the kiss and bumping her nose against his as she changes angles. He gasps for breath when she releases him and she takes advantage, capturing his bottom lip gently between her teeth before ghosting wet lips languidly down his neck and pulsing jaw, to behind his ear and eliciting shivers of excitement and arousal to erupt over his skin.

Her breath is warm and rough as she pants private words of desire softly in his ear before taking the flesh of his neck between her teeth and forcing him to moan her name. The power and control she seems to wield over his body and mind and heart is absolute and he's helpless to resist her. The thrill and fascination is undeniable as he grips tightly at her hips to fall into an urgent rhythm as she _surrounds_ him.

He is enraptured in the moment and chasing the tendrils of heat that burn at him with every touch and taste of her skin and eager sound she makes – erasing the ache in his chest and replacing it with a bounding heart that forces his blood to surge.

Time has frozen as he opens his eyes and realizes where he is _(flat on his back in her bed)_ and why he is _(because of her)_ and the fact she is atop him _(nude)._

That last fact is _immensely_ more important than the first two, but for the life of him he can't recall how they got there or in their current state of undress.

_She's like a drug._

_No matter…_

" _I love you, Elsa_. _You're the air I_ _breathe,"_ he confesses with an intensity and sincerity he didn't realize he was capable of.

His words break the spell she was under and she withdraws slowly as her eyes blink wide, his flesh left cold by her absence as she pushes herself up, soft hands and gentle fingers splayed across his bare chest. Elsa shakes her head sadly, blue eyes filled with longing and remorse, "Hans…"

" _Don't stop_ ," Hans mirrors her expression as he draws his arm around the small of her back and presses her back to him while his other arm snakes up her spine to tangle his fingers into her loose hair, "Please, don't stop."

"Not until you beg me to." She whispers boldly into his lips.

* * *

Elsa opens her eyes wearily, blinking sleep from them as she rubs the heel of a hand to the side of her face before pulling the bedsheet up under her chin. The air in the bedchamber is cold but her skin is still warm from sleep as she rolls to her side and sighs, muscles aching pleasantly from use. As her mind returns from dreamless sleep she realizes she's nude.

_Hans._

She bolts upright to find herself alone in her bed, the other half having been clearly occupied at some point but now the linens are cold under her fingertips. She blinks past the tears that threaten to fall as she lays down where Hans had slept, the pillow having trapped his scent.

_He's gone…_

She closes her eyes and pulls the sheets over her head as she mourns what she has lost, gripping his pillow tightly as she cries herself back to sleep.

She awakens again with the dawn and rises to stare at her reflection in the bathroom mirror after splashing cool water to her face. Her tired eyes drift to her toiletry bag that she had yet to fully unpack, sitting on the marbled countertop unzipped. She opens it and her eyes land on her birth control pills.

The ones she hasn't taken since she left New York last week.

A hot wave of terror washes over her, " _Oh no…"_


	22. Chapter 22

Hans had slipped quietly out of Elsa's chambers in the dead of night, devastated to have to leave her and repulsed by his weakness. He didn't trust he could do it in the light of day without making it harder on Elsa ( _or him_ ) – waking slowly with her perfect in his arms after sharing a passionate night together, the way they are meant to. Lost in his misery, his distracted mind failed to focus on his dark surroundings, the hallways lit only by the occasional sconce. He barely heard the rapidly approaching footsteps behind him as he entered the main corridor of the North wing, having just shifted his weight to acknowledge whoever it was when a flash of black hair rammed him expertly against the wall. The air was harshly stolen from his lungs with a grunt, accompanied by sharp pain as a dark voice whispered, _"Good Morning, Lover Boy."_ He managed land a strike, his elbow into his attacker's gut as he swept a leg out from under him. His opponent was back up in the blink of an eye, Hans sustaining a significant blow to his side and quickly finding his arms pinned behind his back and incapacitated.

In his dreams of childhood, growing up in the Southern Isles Royal court, the youngest Prince firmly believed that the walls of castles had _ears and eyes (and claws and teeth)._ Figuratively, of course. _Servants were always listening and watching, brothers were always primed and ready to torment and torture._

That thought flashed to the forefront of his mind as the rough stone of the castle wall ripped at the skin of his cheek when his head was abruptly thrusted against it.

_Ah, Elsa's castle literally has eyes and claws and teeth…_

Dropping Hans to his knees the voice hissed, "She's done with you, Prince Hans of the Southern Isles."

Hans growls as his chest heaves heavily, hearing that name and title spoken out loud for the first time by someone other the Elsa. It triggers the adrenaline to surge hotter in his veins, "Just Hans. _Thank you_ ," he spits angrily. He jerks his chin up to find Eric, spoiling for a fight with furious eyes.

Two additional guards appear to subdue Hans as Eric hauls him to his feet. With an incensed tone Eric whispers into Hans' ear, "She says you raised a blade to her neck. You left Princess Anna to die. I don't know what's going yet, but you're trespassing and there is no way in _HELL_ I will let you near her again."

_Eric knows…_

Hans' eyes widen a fraction, bewildered, before fixing a mask of anger to his features. Failing to acknowledge Eric's comments would be the best action he decides, working in omissions leave wiggle room later. "I'm far from trespassing. Get Elsa. Get Anna," Hans snarls.

Eric forces an unamused laugh, "Ah, no. You can sit in a cell until the U.S. Embassy sends someone for you. Eventually."

The Royal Guards begin pushing Hans towards the stairs, Hans fighting back as he surges closer to Eric and whispers angrily, "She doesn't love you and she's not yours, Eric. She's in love with me. That's what all this is about, isn't it?"

Surprise and bemusement flash in Eric's eyes as he looks Hans over with a flash of teeth as he shakes his head, "No, just simply doing my job. And oh, she's not my type." Eric's smile pulls mischievous as his gaze lingers on Hans' hair before snapping sharply to meet his eyes, "I prefer redheads."

"You're making a huge mistake, Eric. You can't do this," Hans scowls and shoves back at one of the guards before being jerked down the stairs and off to the dungeons.

* * *

 

The morning had shifted to afternoon before Eric bothered to seek out Elsa.

She's in Anna's chambers, asleep on the davenport and cradling one of her pillows that she seems to have brought with her to Anna's room. Anna opened the door quietly for Eric with a finger over her lips, "S _hhh."_

Eric's eyes pull with concern, "Is everything okay?"

"She's had a rough morning, Eric. She needs to get a little sleep," Anna explains simply in a whisper. "What's up? Can I help?"

"Ah, it can wait," Eric grins widely. "Absolutely wait," he adds with a nod of his head.

Anna narrows her eyes in suspicious confusion, " _O-K-A-Y…"_

"What's her problem?" he asks softly with a jerk of his chin as he folds his arms across his chest.

"Hans is gone and something has happened that she won't tell me but wants him and she's upset," Anna sighs as she blows her bangs out of her eyes and leans against the doorframe.

Eric cocks an eyebrow, "Really."

"Yes. I bought him here last night and he left while she was sleeping. He's gone."

"Nope. He's not gone."

"Hu?" Anna narrows her eyes at him, "Is this normal American guy behavior that I totally don't understand? Because it seems like a jerk move to me. Thank goodness Kristoff is Norwegain…"

He smiles conspiratorially, "No, literally, not gone. I caught him early this morning in one of the hallways and told him he was trespassing. I've got him locked up in a cell in the dungeons."

Anna's squeal of laughter pierces the silence and causes Elsa's eyes to fly open and sit up.

"Eric, that's awesome. I want to go punch him. Can I?" Anna beams.

"You're my favorite Princess ever, Anna. Just…don't tell your sister," he whispers with a quiet chuckle as he presses a key into her hand, "Third door on the right. Just listen and follow the trail of total and utter betrayal."

Elsa's voice comes firm and cold, "Don't tell your sister what?"

Eric's eyes snap over Anna's shoulder to find Elsa looking _furious._ She had risen from the davenport still clutching her pillow as she stalked to his side.

Anna spins to face her, amusement twinkling in her eyes, "Hans is in the dungeons! I'm totally going to punch him in the gut for you."

Elsa drops her head forward and groans, "Enough, Anna. No one is punching Hans in the gut."

Eric tries to remain inconspicuous as he whispers into Anna's ear, "I landed a few punches last night. And I'm not gonna lie, it felt good." Before he could straighten to see Anna's reaction, an icy cold hand shoves him hard, pushing him off balance and causing him to stumble backwards into the open door.

"What did you do, Eric?" Elsa hisses.

His hands shoot up defensively, "Just what you said?! What was I supposed to do?! I thought he was trespassing so I had the Royal Guard take him to the dungeon – He didn't exactly go willingly, I had to subdue him. I told him he could sit there until the U.S. Embassy sends someone to get him."

Anna looks between the pair and drawls, "What's going on?"

Elsa _glares_ at Eric before answering, "Manipulation and betrayal. Right, Eric?"

"Hey, why is that directed at me? What did I do?" Eric croaks in confusion as his hands drop to his side. "What did Hans say to you with that silver tongue of his? Whatever it is, he's trying to sell something."

Anna rolls her eyes and pulls Eric into the room and slams the door shut behind him. "Good grief, you two! I don't know if you've noticed, but there has been enough scandal and drama lately – how about we talk _privately_ since it doesn't concern anyone else?" She turns to Elsa and continues in Norwegian, "And here's a wild idea; let's get Hans and you can sit down and discuss whatever it is you need to discuss rationally. Hu? And talk with Eric? Or would crying into pillows and standing around slinging mud in each other's faces make more sense?"

The room falls silent and Anna crosses her arms, patiently waiting for Elsa or Eric to reply as they stare dumbly at her. Long moments pass before the silence is broken by Anna's cellphone chiming a text, prompting her to roll her eyes and walk off to retrieve it. "Both of you stay put right there," she barks over her shoulder as she enters the bedchamber.

"She's right, Eric. We need to sit down and talk, get this all out in the open." Elsa says quietly as she looks at Eric with a pained expression.

"Can you trust him, Elsa? You said he raised a blade to you and tried to take your throne."

The room grows colder in the matter of moments before Elsa conquers her shock at hearing Hans' crimes on Eric's lips. She narrows her eyes, "I was rambling and on sedatives prescribed by a physician! I can't believe that you'd put an ounce of validity into anything I said. And yes, I trust my future husband. Can I trust you?"

Eric looks hurt but doesn't hesitate before responding sincerely, "Absolutely. You've put your life in my hands for years, and whatever this is that has you doubting me needs to be cleared up. I want to be the one to protect you and your family."

"I appreciate your loyalty regarding the protection of me and my family, but is that loyalty still there if it has to include Hans?"

Eric groans but before he can reply he is interrupted by Anna's chortling laugher and " _WE HAVE THE WORLD'S STUPIDEST GUARDS, ELSA!"_

Elsa raises an eyebrow at Eric, "What, pray tell, leads you to that conclusion?"

Anna runs to Elsa and holds her phone out with her wrist askew so Elsa can see the screen, Elsa's eyes blow wide as her mouth falls open.

It's a selfie of Hans opening the dungeon cell door with a stupid excited grin on his face. Escaping.

Anna laughs, "They never searched Hans' pockets before throwing him in the dungeon cell. He had his phone and some sort of multi-purpose utility tool on him! He picked the lock of the cell door and broke out of the dungeons to find Elsa when they just left him there," Anna grins at Elsa, "He's in your chambers waiting for you and he's pretty sure the guards have no idea he's gone yet."

A string of inelegant vulgarities tumble from Eric's mouth, a few even in Norwegian as he runs a frustrated hand through his hair, "Those inept buffoons aren't my staff – I have no control over them. My team was New York. This is completely unacceptable and I want the authority to manage your _entire_ Royal Guard, Elsa. This sort of thing can't happen! I hand them someone to keep in custody and they couldn't even get that right!"

Anna laughs harder at that.

Elsa shakes her head as she opens the door and steps out past Eric, "Come on, we're moving this party to my chambers." She pauses and bites at her cheek, eyes pulling in contemplation as she goes to Anna and holds her hand. "Anna, I love you, but this might be easier without you there. I need Hans and Eric to be open and honest. The presence of someone uninvolved may hinder my ability to facilitate a meaningful discussion. I'm not hiding anything from you, I'll just…fill you in on everything later."

Anna sighs before kissing Elsa on the cheek, "Fine. But I get to tell the Royal Guards that Hans is out and you are mad and that you'll deal with them later. _PLEASE!?"_

Elsa smiles, so thankful for the way Anna opens to her so easily, ready to listen and ready to forgive. "Have fun."

Eric interrupts with a somber tone, "Wait, I want to deal with the guards first – Elsa, this is a serious safety issue, especially given the coronation is just days away. You tell me you trust Hans…then fine. There it is, let me deal with the security issues first and then we can hash out with Hans the scandal. Agreed?"

Elsa tilts her head in contemplation before wetting her lips and pulling herself tall, "Anna, you're with me. Eric, have fun with the buffoons. Come find me when you are finished."

Eric nods his head and Elsa turns towards her chambers, not seeing Eric grab Anna's hand and whisper in her ear before she smiles widely and runs to catch up with her sister.


	23. Chapter 23

Eric had pointed out to Anna that _technically_ Elsa had said _nothing_ about not punching Hans in the face.

With a vicious grin Anna cocks her arm back in the blink of an eye and lets her fist fly, making contact with Hans' already bruised cheek with enough force to knock him back into the chair he had risen from to greet Elsa and Anna as they entered the sitting room of Elsa's private chambers. Anna had scurried ahead of Elsa, insisting, _"I need to give Hans a piece of my mind, it's one of my duties as your sister and best friend."_

" _Ooaaf!"_ Hans groaned in surprised pain as Elsa snaps, "ANNA! I SAID NO ONE WAS PUNCHING HANS!"

Anna dusts her hands together before rolling her shoulders proudly and stating flatly, "No, you said ' _no one is punching Hans in the gut.'_ And I didn't."

Hans moans as he carefully raises a hand to his nose to check for blood.

Anna crosses her arms and glances at Hans with a smirk, "That's for being a jerk to my sister."

Elsa groans, "Anna! I told you I knew he was leaving. Until we were certain there was no threat to us and our family and figure out who's behind the photos!"

Hans looks up at Anna pathetically confused as Elsa brushes past her to kneel in front of him, conjuring ice and gently shooing Hans' hands away to press it lightly to his cheek with soft concern etched on her face. "Are you okay?"

Hans chuckles, sounding exhausted, "I've been thrown in a dungeon and Anna punched me in the face. Nothing new." Elsa grumbles something to the effect of _"that's not funny, Hans."_ He smiles warmly, "It's a little funny, and I'm better than okay, you're here now. _Ouch."_

Elsa had rudely pressed the ice into his bruising flesh as she warned, "Don't you ever pull a stunt like that again. You owed me a proper goodbye, Hans. Why didn't you stop to empathize with what you were about to put me through? To have to wake up and find myself alone…" Elsa stammered as she blushed, "…I…then to realize…realize, I may end up…ugh." Elsa drops her head down, her eyes closing tightly.

Hans nods his head remorsefully as he stroked her hand that is at his cheek with his thumb as she holds her ice to his bruises, "I'm sorry Elsa, I wasn't strong enough…it hurt, and I was a coward. I didn't think I could take hearing you say goodbye to me like that."

Elsa exhaled slowly, "I know how badly it hurts, Hans. I feel the same…" Vivid blue eyes meet his, desperate and needy.

Anna clears her throat awkwardly, "Elsa, I don't understand why you were so upset this morning if you knew he was leaving. You said he was gone and you needed him, you seemed so lost…" She walks over to Elsa and kisses the top of her head with a sigh.

Elsa blinks as tears start to form, the blush blooming brighter on her face as she thinks how the two people she loves the most in the world are watching her make a fool of herself yet are still by her side. Hans leans over to take her other hand in his, "Elsa?"

Anna's eyes dart to the door and back to Hans as she points, " _I'm going to_ _go now…you two probably need a little privacy._ Maybe Eric could use some help." She points firmly at Hans as she continues, "…but don't think for a second that I won't hesitate to punch you in the face again if you behave badly, Hans. _"_

"I never actually doubted that, Anna," Hans mumbles with a chuckle as Anna raises her chin and strides confidently out of Elsa's chambers, the door closing loudly in her wake.

The afternoon sun had drawn long shadows across the sitting room and behind Hans, his hair illuminated in the sunlight which leaves Elsa pondering how enchanting he looks. With a content smile he seems to study her, searching her eyes. He gently pulls Elsa up into his lap as his strong arms entwine around her, the fingers of one hand begin to weave into her loose hair at the nape of her neck and press into her scalp, triggering her eyes to flutter closed and her head to relax into his hand. She melts into his touch before she finds the strength to open her eyes again, finding his green eyes intense and smile reassuring as he inquires, "Do you want to talk about what's going on in that beautiful mind of yours, My Queen?"

"I'm not Queen yet…"

He raises an eyebrow as he whispers, "Don't get distracted, Elsa."

Her mouth falls open and closed repeatedly, devoid of sound as she attempts to form words, leading her to bury her face into his neck and hold him tightly. His warm chest rises and falls in time with hers, his steady heartbeat grounding her and bringing her confidence to admit her mistake. Her voice comes small and embarrassed, "I realized this morning that I haven't taken my birth control pills since I left New York," She sits straighter and looks at his expression, open and unsure. "I could be pregnant."

A gregarious laugh bubbles up as his green eyes sparkle and his grin pulls wicked, "Well, we _did_ have sex. Repeatedly. _Earth shatteringly wonderful sex._ _Absolutely perfect and mind-blowing sex."_

"Stop saying 'sex', Hans."

"But we had a very honest conversation awhile ago about sex and you did verbalize understanding that sex…"

Elsa narrows her eyes at him in warning.

"…that sex does eventually lead to procreation."

Elsa flops to his chest and buries her face into his shoulder as she whimpers, " _Hans…stop saying sex and stop being daft. I was irresponsible and didn't use proper birth control and now I could be pregnant."_

He forces her up so she can see his face, "AND?"

She finds herself irrationally upset that he won't rise to the occasion and feel the frustration and anxiety she feels, "AND?! My first year of reign may see not only the revelation to the world that I have magical icy powers but the birth of my first child, conceived out of wedlock!? I'm practically on the eve of my coronation and Norway has already been placed under the shadow of my lustful and wanton ways…"

He has the audacity to laugh loudly at that and hug her closely to him.

"Shhh, Elsa. There's no shadow over Norway, you're taking yourself far too seriously. You're a woman who's had her privacy invaded. With her future husband. And evidently had unprotected sex with said future husband. If you're concerned about my reaction, I was honest when I told you before that I want to have a family with you whenever _you_ want a family."

"We aren't even married!"

"A quick trip to Vegas can fix that!" he smiles brightly like it's the most brilliant thing he's said all day.

Elsa has an unexplainable urge to _wipe that smile off his face._ Her voice raises loudly, "The High Protector of the Church of Norway can't be married by someone in an Elvis costume! I _have_ to be married in the Church - I wouldn't _want_ to be married anywhere else than in front of God and Church!"

Hans rolls his eyes as he teases, "Stop grousing."

"Shut up, Hans. And I'm not grousing."

He kisses the pout of her lips gently and moans in submission as her cool fingers track his sore abdominal muscles to his hips under his shirt and her other cold hand cups his bruised cheek.

He presses on, subconsciously trailing the warm palm of his hand over her thin waist and flat of her stomach imagining the swell of her belly with his child, "Think rationally. I see that we have a few options. One; we wait and see if you are actually pregnant before freaking out. You may not be…after all, some couples try for years to conceive only to be disappointed. And it was only one night without contraception, of course there is a small chance but it is just that. A small chance. Two; we are already planning to wed, we'll just do it sooner rather than later. Although anyone with a calculator and an understanding of average gestational age will be able to figure out the timing of the child is suspicious…and the pregnancy will end up with media attention. Actually, the birth of the Crown Prince or Princess of Norway will draw attention regardless of the circumstances. Third, just use the morning after pill."

Elsa scoffs, shoving at his shoulders as she rises and stalks to the windows with crossed arms, "ABORTION!? _How could you even suggest that, Hans?!"_

Hans shakes his head and stands to confront her accusation darkly, "Wait, what? When did I ever say that? I'm horrified you would think I could even suggest killing my own child!"

She whips around seething with rage and her magic flies from her hand to the floor as an icy barricade while she gestures, "You just did! Abortion pill? To end a pregnancy?"

Hans eyes widen in frustration as he stops his advancement towards her remaining tall and still, hands clenched into fists at his side, "How can someone so brilliant think so simple? You're not listening! I said 'morning after pill'. _EMERGENCY CONTRACEPTION._ It prevents conception, it doesn't affect a pregnancy in the least!"

Her eyes narrow suspiciously as she says tightly, "So you're a physician now?"

His brow furrows, "No, still a lawyer. But right-to-life and pro-choice legislation are frequently challenged in American courts and I studied many of the rulings and science supporting the decisions," He sighs frustrated as he tries to soften the tone of his voice, "Elsa, I thought you understood that I have the same fundamental beliefs as you do when it comes to such things…after all, we were both raised in the Church."

She stills and whispers, "Yes, but I don't understand this and it feels horribly wrong and I don't know why."

"Okay, so option three is not an option. That's fine, I don't want you to do anything you feel is wrong. But I think you just don't have enough information to exclude it as an option. Not that I am advocating for any particular course of action at this time except perhaps just wait to see…if…" he trails off as Elsa looks at him with an emotion he can't decipher.

"I want to talk to the Bishop."

Hans shakes his head, unsure of what she means, "Is that your doctor?"

Elsa shakes her head slightly, "No, Hans. The Lutheran Bishop who supports my chapel here at the castle." Her shoulders fall defeated as a tear falls, "How do I keep making a bigger mess of everything?"

Hans makes his way around the jagged ice, absently noting that it resembles the barricade she created in the Grand Ballroom during her coronation celebration in Arendelle and remembers suddenly Eric referring to him as Prince Hans of the Southern Isles. The adrenaline and provocation he felt revives itself in a heartbeat and he can feel his skin burn with the need to _release his anger._ He recognizes the urge and tries to suppress it before it can spill out into his words to Elsa. "Okay, let's go talk to the Bishop." He says tightly as Elsa seems to take a breath of relief. She opens her arms to him and embraces him tenderly, stroking cool fingers up into his hair as her ice twinkles and disappears from the room. He finds himself helplessly sighing into her touch, "Could you please put those cold hands over my left side, I think Eric bruised a kidney."

She giggles before whispering, "I'm so sorry. What _happened_ with him?"

"What do you mean, 'what happened'? Your thug beat me up, accusing me of trespassing. I knew you'd be pissed if I fought back, so I let him take me. I'd like to mention that he's got big problems with your Royal Guard here at the castle if I can waltz out of the dungeons and back into your bedroom unnoticed." Hans laughs dryly before adding, "There was no way I could have done that in Arendelle."

Elsa allows her frost to erupt over his flank as she groans, "I absolutely agree. I had no idea how lackadaisical the Norwegian Royal Guard had become here at the castle over the past few years, my father would be furious. Eric is dealing with that crisis right now, when he is finished he is going to sit down with us and we're going to sort things out. I just can't get my head around him being behind the scandal. I know you disagree…"

"If you think that's best. _Fine_." Hans says lowly, trying to remain calm. "Although I'd love to know why Eric addressed me as _Prince Hans of the Southern Isles_ and seems to be aware of my transgressions in Arendelle," he pulls back slightly from her embrace and glares at the crown of her head, unable to see her reaction.

Elsa stiffens and her head snaps up to look at him with a soft gasp. She whimpers a quiet _"_ I didn't mean to tell him, Hans. It spilled out when I was drugged during my return from the States…I thought I was talking to you in my dreams, but it was actually Eric. I've told him it is absurd to trust anything I said while I was sedated, and I thought he understood." She brings a cold hand to his bruised cheek again, "I swear I have never told a soul other than Dr. Pabbie about the dreams."

Hans pulls his mouth tight as he studies her, "Of course I'll yield to your judgment


	24. Chapter 24

Hans found his patience wearing dangerously thin.

Two hours of sitting in the Bishop's office and discussing marriage _(sooner rather than later)_ , sexual relations _(only between married couples, the Bishop said disappointedly while remaining unbiased and supportive)_ , and contraception _(appropriate for married couples for family planning purposes…again, mentioned disappointedly yet supportive)_ was more than Hans could tolerate in his current condition. And Elsa appeared so racked with guilt… _adorably_ racked with guilt that he didn't understand. He could empathize with how she felt, just didn't understand why she would feel this way in this current situation. His supportive smiles just seemed to make her scowl.

The low droning on of the Bishop, rolling vowels in Norwegian didn't help his mood, either.

He was exhausted. And hungry. And still quite angry with Elsa (or rather the situation that led her to tell Eric of the dreams/memories. Not so much Elsa herself…but still irrationally angry). And not that he had a low threshold for pain, but as time crept slowly by, the throbbing in his head and flank got worse.

He was fairly certain this was some brand new, fresh level of hell he stumbled across inadvertently.

He stared at Elsa's fingers woven with his, resting on her lap.

_A level of hell where Elsa holds my hand._ _That's nice._

He chuckled to himself at that thought and earned a dirty look from the love of his life when the Bishop looked strangely at him. With a charismatic smile and graceful bow his head to Elsa he whispered in English, " _Just think, I'm all yours."_

The Bishop looked down at his desk, flipping through some papers with a sigh. Elsa muttered under her breath with a sideways glance, " _I can't believe_ _I am considering allowing you to procreate."_

His mood brightened immediately as he shot forward and pecked her cheek with a kiss before the clergyman looked back, " _Only the best for your gene pool, am I right?"_

Elsa huffed and ignored him.

He was pretty sure he would be finding himself in a guestroom for the night and _not_ her bed, anyway.

_FINALLY_ the Bishop apologetically said his goodbyes – there was a Church council meeting to attend unless the Crown Princess had anything else she need to discuss with him. Elsa reassured him she was fine, he invited them both to stay and use his office to talk privately, if necessary. The Bishop nodded his head respectfully towards Elsa and shook Hans' hand before leaving, "I believe you're good for her, Hans. I look forward to presiding over your wedding and whatever else the Lord may have in store for you both." The door closed quietly, leaving green eyes locked on blue.

"I dragged you into all this, I'm sorry," Elsa sighed before chewing at her lip, "And I keep dragging you down further…"

Hans chuckled as he took her into his arms gently, tucking her head up under her chin and bringing a hand to hold her in place. "You mean to hell in a handbasket?"

"If we weren't in a Church I would give you an inelegant piece of my mind, Hans," she whispered but didn't move from his embrace.

"I have free will, Elsa. And I make my own choices. If I remember correctly, I've chosen this little adventure with you. Just think of me as your plucky sidekick!"

He could feel her shoulders shutter slightly with a breathy laugh as her arms encircled him, pulling him closer, "Do you wear a cape and tights, too?"

"Sometimes. But we haven't talked about that yet…"

She laughed harder at that before looking up at him with sad eyes, "Why can't things be _simple?"_

"Says the Snow Queen," he sighed seriously.

"Are you going to provide any useful feedback or thoughts?"

"Probably not at the moment…try again later after you've fed me and my headache has subsided."

It was as they entered the narthex of the chapel, leaving the Bishop's office that she saw Eric waiting. Eric smirked and began to approach, giving Hans an appraisal as he cocked an eyebrow. Elsa couldn't help but notice the anger rippling up Hans' spine, and felt it hidden beneath his calm words to her, "I don't think I can remain rational and objective right now with Eric. I really need some aspirin and a sandwich and _SLEEP_. _Please…"_ The cracks in his already fractured restrain were evident in the gaze he held, green eyes darkening despite his stony expression.

Eric stopped before Hans, a malicious grin spreading as he said sweetly, "I want to thank you, Hans, for identifying certain… _deficiencies…_ that had yet to come to light in the current security protocol here at the castle." His blue eyes darted to Elsa, "I assure you, Princess, it won't happen again."

Elsa held up a hand to silence Eric, "Enough. I don't need you to be an overprotective bully. We talk tomorrow."

He purses his lips, swearing her name like a curse.

Thankfully Hans remains stock still and quiet. "Eric…" she sighs in frustration, interrupted by the choir director as he stormed through the narthex from the sanctuary in a flurry of activity, calling over his shoulder, _"Keep singing!"_

The doors propped open in his wake and the choir rehearsal for Elsa's coronation carried through the air. The pipe organ blending perfectly with the choir as a mezzo soprano could be heard over the other voices, slowly climbing scales, blooming sweet and brilliant and bright with each passing bar.

Eric turned his head towards the open doors to the sanctuary, surprise flickering across his face as a smile began to pull at his lips and his shoulders dropped.

Hans glanced at Elsa who didn't seem to notice Eric's odd reaction to the music.

The choir director paused in front of Elsa to bow slightly before saying excitedly in Norwegian, "Your Highness! We would be honored if you'd join us to listen to rehearsals, this is the first run with our soloist and she's amazing!"

Elsa smiled warmly as she nodded her head, "I can hear that. We are lucky she was willing make time in her schedule for the coronation. I'm afraid that I'm not available right now, but perhaps tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow we will be back in the sanctuary at 9:00 am."

"She has the most beautiful voice…." Eric said dreamily, his eyes wide and unfocused and to no one in particular.

"Yes, if only she'd show up for rehearsal once in a while," the director muttered as he nodded to Elsa and took leave to scurry off towards the offices.

Hans followed Elsa as she started past Eric, "Tomorrow morning, breakfast in my chambers. You cool your jets until then. Go sit in the sanctuary and listen to the music while you change your attitude."

Eric blinked, as if startled back to reality, "I'm fine. Breakfast it is."

* * *

 

"A guestroom? Do I have to?" Hans begged like an impertinent child as Elsa crossed her arms to hold her elbow while exhaling in defeat.

"Hans. You heard the Bishop."

"But…no. I did, but I didn't. I don't speak Norwegian all that well," he tries _(she rolls her eyes as she points out that he just replied in Norwegian to what she said in Norwegian)._ "Can't I sleep here instead? Fully clothed? I'll behave." He gives her the most open smile and honest shift in his expression before nodding respectfully, then trying to appear discreet as he entered her bedchamber like that is where he is meant to be.

With a groan her head drops back and she proceeds to the bathroom to relax in a warm tub before arguing further with _him._

In retrospect, that merely provided opportunity for Hans to make himself comfortable and transform into a useless sack of bones and flesh in the middle of her bed while breathing heavily. She had half a mind to go sleep in the prepared guestroom herself just to prove her point, but the _Queen of Arendelle_ wouldn't yield her bed, or her throne, to _him_ and thus thought better of just accepting her fate and shoving him over. Within minutes of rolling over with her back to him (in irritation), he subconsciously snuggled up against her and held her tightly, his voice thick with sleep murmuring, "I love you, My Queen."

"You're incorrigible…go back to sleep, sweet Prince."

A murmur of agreement came from behind her, triggering a soft smile to pull at her lips as she decided that accepting her fate may not be all that bad.


	25. Chapter 25

Hans' subconscious pulls from the day's events to weave his dreams…

_Almost a year has passed and a shattered mirror appears unexplainably in the Norwegian Castle._

_It's a fractured looking glass, and it's at the end of a dark hall. The mirror has been calling to him, leaving him unsettled and wary. He's not actually seen it, nor ventured down that wing of the castle, but he knows it is there._

_Elsa assured him that he needn't gaze into the broken glass - he should see the world through his own eyes and not through the mirror's distorted reflection. It's unreliable, and she insists no good would come from the reflection shone._

_She's held his hand and offered her affections in an attempt to distract him, his body now content and sated from pleasure as she lays perfect and sleeping at his side. Her belly is swollen with his child, due any day and the most beautiful sight he has ever seen. He smiles at his nirvana and pulls her closer as he closes his eyes, but the call of the mirror becomes louder with each passing moment. He is unable to resist the pull and finds himself drawn to it in the dark of night as the castle sleeps._

_He knows not how he came to stand before the shattered glass, but he is there now and unable to look away from the reflections in the fractured shards. He sees himself, or rather a doppelgänger - grotesque and twisted with a crown upon his head as his father stands at his side beaming a proud grin and whispering despicable evils into his ear. His doppelgänger unsheathes a sword and a dagger from his hip and Hans watches through the glass as he returns to Hans' bed to find Elsa still asleep and unaware of the danger he represents to her and the unborn child._

_With elegant precision the blade falls, Hans screams at the glass before turning on his heel to return to Elsa in terror, cursing the fact he was not there to protect her._

_He has no idea how much time has passed before he gets to her side, but he does and he find her still asleep and unharmed. He glances over Elsa's sleeping form to find his doppelgänger crawling over the top of her with a sadistic grin and stroking her in a manner that makes bile burn up the back of Hans' throat. Elsa's unaware of the intruder in their bed, her chest rising and falling gently with a sweet twist of her lips in response to the caress of his_ _doppelgänger._

_Hans tries to lunge forward to stop him, only to find himself paralyzed and silent, unable to warn Elsa. His doppelgänger places his hand over her unborn child and whispers to Hans as his eyes narrow with venom, "She's dead. Because of YOU…" plunging the dagger down as blood spills and Elsa gasps her last breathes in agony, pleading for Hans to save them…_

Hans surges to his feet in a panic and drops to his hands and knees beside Elsa's bed, retching his stomach with his head dropped and tears burning at his eyes. He gasps for breath as cool fingers find their way onto his neck and caress calming patterns while a soft voice soothes and hushes him. Reality affixes slowly, "Shhhh, it wasn't real. You're okay, Hans..." Elsa's kneeling at his side and he shifts his weight suddenly to capture her in his arms and clings to her as he sobs, "You're okay, you're both okay. He didn't hurt you."

Elsa blinks. Although she is familiar with nightmares and the traumatic way they twists reality, she has trouble trying to decipher his words after having been startled from sleep herself. "Both okay?"

His hand twists to grasp firmly at her abdomen as he coughs and stutters, _"I'm so sorry…"_

She brings cool fingers to his head to cradle him to her while her other hand falls to his that lies on her belly, stroking his hand gently with her thumb. "Shhhh…Hans, I don't understand."

He shakes his head as an apology, "Just a bad dream. I'm sorry if I scared you. I'll be okay." He looks at her, eyes still frantic as he tries for a reassuring smile.

"We are quite the mess, aren't we? This is only the third night we have ever slept side by side and already we find ourselves battling demons together. Am I right?" she says softly.

Hans buries himself in her embrace and doesn't respond.

Long moments pass before Elsa tries again, "Do you want to talk about it? Was it Arendelle?"

His chest heaves silently before he eventually settles on, "No. It wasn't, exactly."

He rises, taking her effortlessly with him and returns to bed. He clings tightly to her and presses soft lips to the crown of her head as she folds herself into him. He explains his dream, and can feel her stiffen then gasp a soft cry of surprise, _"You spoke similar words to me on the frozen fjord in Arendelle. Telling me Anna was dead…because of me."_

Hans croaks, "I'm so sorry for everything I've done."

She caresses his back slowly, "You needn't apologize with every dream, Hans. I have forgiven you and love you and wish to face the future together, not relive the past."

He draws her face up and to his with his hand on her neck and jaw, pouring his heart into the slide of his lips across hers and leaving her breathless. He rests his forehead to hers, "I love you, My Queen."

She lays silent before softly teasing, "I'm still not Queen. "

With a quiet laugh he whispers, "Oh. I'm pretty sure you've always been _My Queen…_ "

His breath calms, eventually falling in time with hers. His hands stroke gentle circles at the small of her back and eventually slow and weaken as sleep begins to set in.

Hans unsettled has left Elsa to find herself wide away and wanting _something._ Watching him slip closer to sleep, her breath quickens as she settles on what that something may be, and _oh…yes. That will do._

She tilts her head and takes his mouth gently with hers for long moments as he sleepily responds, eventually becoming more eager before her hand begins to wander deliberately to those parts of him that burn hotter under her touch. Her bright eyes take in his reaction when his flutter open.

He chuckles, his breath ghosting warm air across her lips as he takes her wayward hand to kiss before playfully scolding, "Oh no you don't. I promised to behave. Stop trying to seduce me with your lustful and wanton ways…"

Her mouth pulls mischievously as another frisky hand finds its way below the waistband of his pajamas to where the flesh of his hip slopes lower, "Really? You're not at all interested… _you're turning me down?"_ She puckers her lips slightly as she drawls.

Hans closes his eyes and keens a sigh, _"No…yes…ah…AH."_ His smile is small and helpless as he stumbles over his words, _"_ We didn't exactly resolve the contraception issue today. You starting your pills back up isn't exactly like flipping a switch _."_

Elsa grins wider as her fingers trace his arousal, "There are other ways to… _satisfy."_

He catches her hand and puts it firmly on her own hip with a breathless, " _Come on, Elsa. I promised."_

She looks incredulously at him as she bites at her lip and runs her fingers through his hair before pulling closer to him, nuzzling the faint stubble along his jawline before taking his flesh gently between her teeth and pressing a wet kiss to his neck. The slight rumble under her lips as he speaks triggers her _need_ to burn hotter as his hands caress and grip at her restlessly.

He groans and stills, "Two hours with the Bishop and watching you basically tar and feather yourself in guilt was more than I can take. Let me keep my promise, without temptation."

She pauses, shifting slightly to look at him intensely, confusion flickering in her features, "You're serious?"

He chuckles with an apology in his gaze, "Yes, actually…I am."

She narrows her eyes at him before rolling over in a huff, mumbling something in Norwegian, _"…go play by myself…"_

Hans' mouth quirks a smile at her frustration as he tries to translate her words and decides that Elsa must mean something erotically deviant and…oh my. _She's going to get herself off, with me right next to her in her bed!_

With an impish grin he nestles closely to her back and props up on an elbow to look down at her, the shift in the mattress causing Elsa to glare at him, "What?"

He tries unsuccessfully to resist the pull of his lips as he smirks, "May I watch?"

"Watch what?"

"May I watch as you pleasure yourself?" he questions gleefully, a ridiculous expression on his face like he's the luckiest man on Earth.

Elsa's blush is evident even in the dark room as she elbows him in the gut, "No."

"No I can't watch, or no you're not going to masturbate?"

"NO."

He laughs as he wraps an arm around her, "You little minx, I had no idea how _insatiable_ you are…"

Elsa says something about a guestroom that he couldn't quite hear. Not that he wanted to.

"How about I bring you your coffee in the morning," he offers in consolation.

She groans something to the effect of _it's the least he could do,_ and Hans falls asleep more quickly than he ever has after such a nightmare, a soft smile twisted in his lips.

* * *

 

Dawn arrived far earlier than Hans expected. He's wide awake in the span of a heartbeat and _staring._

The fact he's slept in the bed of the Kings of Norway, beside the most beautiful and powerful woman he has ever seen (or dreamt) triggers a rush of hot panic and disbelief to wash over him as his heart races.

He realizes he could be waking beside her anywhere and feel exactly the same way, simply astonished she loves him with the same intensity he loves her. He pulls closer to her while brushing an aberrant lock from her face and allows his hand to linger in her hair before her head pulls just slightly and her eyes squint open a fraction, just to squeeze shut with a raspy and irritated, "Must you..."

"Good morning, Your Highness. Not really a morning person, are we?"

"Is that the ' _royal we'_ or the ' _Hans being a jack-ass we'?"_

With a genuine laugh he flops down on his stomach beside her while she rolls herself over and pulls the bedlinens over her head. He revels in the amazement of how _happy_ he is and decides to ignore the twinge of remorse that pulls at him for being a nuisance.

_She's fabulously sarcastic first thing in the morning when she's not trying to be nice._

"Coffee?"

The linens grunted in response.

He draws back the lines off of her enough to expose her temple, and his lips linger happily there before her hand darts up to swat him away half-heartedly, weakly flopping back to the mattress.

"Fine. Coffee…I'm going," he whispers with a grin.

* * *

 

Hans strides into the sitting area of Elsa's private chambers, freshly shaved (his cheek not looking as bad as he had feared it would, just slightly swollen) and adoring the sound of Elsa singing in the bathroom. Her blatant disregard for who hears her surprised him somewhat, knowing how introverted and private she is. She had laughed at his delight in her singing, "Sometimes I just have to let it go." A strange expression shifted in her features before she cocked her head the side, "Hu. That was strange way of putting it." She shook her head and turned on the ball of her foot to the dressing chamber, _"Give it to me I'm worth it…Baby I'm worth it…"_

His eyes are fixed to the floor as he turns the corner, lost in her voice singing as he hums along, " _Uh huh I'm worth it…Gimme gimme I'm worth it…Uh huh I'm worth it…_ "

He suddenly freezes.

Eric's staring at him bemused.

"She's not out of the bathroom yet," Hans says weakly.

Eric raises and eyebrow as he proceeds to sink into a chair near the grand fireplace off to the side of the sitting area, a Red Bull in one hand and his phone in the other. "I can hear that. Her repertoire has always been rather disturbing, if you ask me. "

Hans blinks, resisting the twist of a smile, "The fact that the Queen of Norway shamelessly belts out questionable lyrics without a thought as to who's nearby to hear her is…"

"Frightening?"

His startled laugh of agreement surprises him, "Yeah."

"That was sprung on me my first morning working with a then seventeen year old Princess Elsa," Eric smirks as he takes a swig of his Red Bull, "She was going through a Britney Spears phase. Here is this graceful, poised, articulate future ruler of Norway that all I have to do is run alongside with through Central Park. She's hardly said two words to me, not being rude…just kinda cold. She's got her MP3 player going and earbuds in, haughtily ignoring me for the first mile before she begins singing to me."

It's Hans' turn to cock an eyebrow as he folds his arms, unsure of where this story seems to be going.

"Womanizer. She's singing as she's running. Loudly. By the end of the song she's even jogging backwards to look at me as she points and belts it out."

Hans again finds himself laughing.

The men fall into strained silence as a butler enters to set up a light breakfast and coffee service on the dining table as Elsa finally joins them wearing a look of determination (and a casual light blue silk maxi dress).

"Okay. Let's do this," she gestures for Hans to sit near Eric as she acknowledges the shallow bow of the butler. He offers her a cup of coffee before excusing himself quietly. The men sit silently, alternating between glances at her and glares at each other.

Eventually Elsa prompts, "Eric. Tell me about the security cameras on the Westergaard property…"

**A/N The song Elsa is singing is Fifth Harmony's "Worth It".**


	26. Chapter 26

Elsa's too angry to hear the odd tinkling sound as her ice creeps along the sideboard she's holding on to after she backed into it. The pinprick sensation in her fingertips, however, she notices. Just as the ice continues its faint whining and crackling in rapid succession her eyes shoot wide.

The realization hits her hard, with a sharp inhale she focuses for a heartbeat and catches herself but can't find the _warmth_ in her to _thaw it._ Her head drops and she looks down, the ice has stopped its march to conquer the top of sideboard, but it's not receding.

Her eyes dart to Hans then to Eric, neither seem to be paying any attention to her or the tabletop winter she's created as her hands pressed to it behind her.

Instead they are exchanging defensive barbs lowly as the truth has finally spilled out.

Hans' natural talent for debate and rhetoric, skillful and keen sense for logic and reasoning, and his preparation and training as a litigator are all proudly displayed in his precise questions that direct the conversation, leading Eric to unexpectedly admit to his mistake.

Frustrated and embarrassed, Eric admitted to accessing the security system at the Westergaard property _(the software not terribly sophisticated, he mentioned as if to insul_ t). "I needed to be able to see and track the Princesses throughout the property and Mr. Westergaard had limited the number of Royal Guards he would accommodate during the party. When I was able to hack into the system, I had found my solution to ensure Elsa and Anna's safety while meeting the restrictions placed upon me."

_His failure to be forthcoming with the truth weighs heavily on her chest as she watches the man who has been her knight in shining armor, at her side and her protector for the last few years, crumble before her._

Eric insisted that he had reached out the head of the Westergaard security regarding his ability to hack into the system ( _sharing the weaknesses he was able to exploit - in the interest of collaboration and partnership with the Westergaards)_. Eric assured Hans that he had received permission to view the live footage and recordings to assist the Norwegian Royal Guard.

 _"Verbal permission. Nothing in writing,"_ Hans clarifies slowly as he leans forward, his elbows pressing into his knees and his expression unreadable as he glanced at her. Something shifted, as if his mind was racing ahead of the story and piecing together what he knew, what he didn't, and where this fits.

"I was able to follow Elsa to your door, switch cameras and adjust the orientation to see her inside your room. But I swear, as soon as I realized that she was there to, umm," Eric blushed as he stumbled over his words poorly as he tried to explain, "…that is was _private_ , I flipped the feed off and informed the Westergaard security that I was logging out the system and camera."

"Wait, hold on," she interrupted as her mind grasped at fleeting thoughts. "You took the pictures?"

"Not exactly…"

She cut him off with a flick of her wrist, and out of the corner of her eye she caught that terrible way Hans _flinched,_ as if expecting – _oh._

Her stomach churned at the voyeuristic images that Eric's words had conjured in her mind and in a flash she found herself on her feet and walking _away_. The twinge of freeze in her bones threated to thrive and bloom with every word spoken, triggering the sensation of an avalanche beneath her feet.

She glanced back over her shoulder as she stopped at the sideboard, finding herself feeling absurdly responsible for the entire situation and mortified. And she can't fix this, adding to the edge of hysteria that choked and clawed at her throat.

Eric and Hans are watched her intently, Eric remorsefully meeting her gaze before sighing and dropping his head down while he ran his fingers forcefully through his hair. Hans had drawn himself back up and unlinked his fingers, a prickle of _something_ crawled up her spine as he pulled his lips thin and furrows his brow – "Please, continue," Elsa said steadily, motioning to him to continue as she turns back to the window and thinks of glaciers melting.

Eric tried to explain how Hans' father sent the original photo to him followed by a furious phone call disputing Eric's claim that he had permission to access the system and threatening to bring charges against him. Eric furiously blasted back at him, " _Filming then publishing photos taken in violation of Princess Elsa's privacy is going to land you in jail."_ Mr. Westergaard had scoffed at the threat and warned Eric _not to play games with him._ "He boasted how ' _Westergaards know how to control women, as evident in the photos the world would see…Hans fucking the future Queen's brains out'._ There was no way Princess Elsa would ever leave Hans' side after giving it up like that to him in front of the world. Hans would be sitting on the throne and I'd be sitting behind bars." The sour expression he wore as he spoke triggered a wave of nausea to curl in her belly and forced her to turn her head away.

Elsa glances back to the barbed ice as she hears Hans scoff at _something_ Eric has said, something she hasn't heard.

Elsa blinks, thinks of Anna's bright smile and Hans' laughter as she tries to thaw the ice again unsuccessfully. Instead, visions of frozen fjords littered with wooden ships scattered and stuck in jagged ice cloud her mind as she starts towards the door before she's actually settled on it, her hands fisted and cradled to her chest, impulsively trying to _flee…_

"Elsa?"

She stops in a heartbeat before snapping her chin up and towards Hans, once again her own strength doing nothing but making her feel _weak._

She watches the concern flicker in Hans' eyes before he glances back to the sideboard as Eric stares at her uncertain and embarrassed. Hans' voice is calm and assertive as he provides her escape, "We've made you late to the rehearsal, haven't we? It's almost nine."

She releases the breath she didn't realize she held as she stared at Hans, amazed at how quickly he manages to assess and act on what is happening around him while appearing perfectly in control of himself. Her blank expression doesn't seem to register with Eric as he reiterates Hans' words with an apology.

Elsa nods dumbly, Hans suddenly at her side and wrapping arms around her as he whispers, " _I'm not so sure Eric is to blame here, he made a huge mistake but…this sounds like my father manipulating to get what he wants - to gain power."_

She shakes her head, not exactly hearing his words. Instead she's focused on the panic swirling and the frost that begins to paint the fibers of the rug they are standing on, "Please, I can't thaw it. Just kiss me…"

Her heart surges violently in her chest as he obliges without question or remark, his kiss smeared firmly across her lips as she gasps and the heat finally burns hot enough in her veins to thaw the frozen fractals that have decorated the room.

She pulls away and steadies herself before dropping her hands helpless her side.

She glares disappointedly at Eric, "Follow."

* * *

 

The anxiety sits as churning turmoil in her stomach. It fails to dissipate into the soft morning air as she pounds a path to the chapel with Hans and Eric falling in step behind her, causing her to focus on the coarse grey cobblestones under her feet ( _and keeping them ice-free)._

It's not until she's climbing the steps of the chapel that the muted scuffle behind her registers. Before she can think better of it, like the crack of a whip she snaps her head over her shoulder as the frost rushes out from under her toe that is pressed to the step. Elsa catches sight of Hans and Eric shoving each other juvenilely - Eric has a fist raised and ready as Hans' knee is up and aimed forward and shoving at Eric's shoulder. Both seem to notice in unison Elsa's gaze fixed on them and _freeze._

Hans has the gall to feign surprised innocence, a poorly hidden twist of his lips betraying him as he quickly brings himself to attention ( _and out of Eric's personal space)_. Her eyes narrow as her jaw unhinges itself slightly. "Sorry," Eric coughs quietly as he transforms into an impersonation of a statue with arms pulled tightly to his side, looking sheepishly at her and fighting a smirk of his own.

She scowls, catching the words under her tongue that include the threat of freezing them into ice cubes, clicking her teeth sharply instead as she storms forward, grabbing Hans by the wrist and pulling him and his smirk with her. Eric chuckles at Elsa's grip on Hans' wrist, like he's a naughty child being removed by an angry parent. Hans glares back at him, clearly unamused as he apologizes quietly into the ear of a very cold little blonde.

Elsa pauses at the top of the steps as Hans reaches past her to open the door. He takes the opportunity to press his lips seductively to her neck, his mouth a wet tease _(and she lets him because of how tightly wound she feels)_ before meeting her darkened eyes. "You're going to need to calm down, you're too cold. Literally," he says in a mockingly serious tone that he uses to irritate her, she decides. He drops his gaze down to her feet, leading Elsa to follow his line of sight. She spots the layer of clear ice just as a harsh grunt and thud is heard from the base of the chapel steps.

"OUCH," Eric groans, splayed out on his backside as his head smacks the cobblestones.

Elsa's face falls in muted horror, realizing the ice trails down to the base of the steps and he's slipped on her ice, "ERIC!?"

He throws his arm over his face to block the sun out of his eyes, cursing under his breath with a huff.

Elsa's heart sinks as the freeze tears at her fingers, trying to surge despite her hands being balled tightly at her sides. Her worried eyes dart to Hans as she whispers, "What have I done?"

His gaze is intense like he's trying to read her, gentle and calm as he releases the handle of the door he was holding and quietly assuring her, "You didn't mean to. It was an accident." He kisses her quickly and that spark of heat she needed to thaw the ice takes hold as Hans whispers, "You can tell Eric now, or thaw it and tell him later. But I think it's time that he knows." Hans pulls himself from Elsa's embrace to check on Eric but stiffens suddenly before looking back to Elsa with curiosity ( _she's busy staring at ice)_. He takes her jaw into his hand and directs her view to the base of the steps.

_Eric isn't alone._

There is a beautiful young red head sitting at Eric's side, intimately curled into him as she leans over his chest to tenderly caress his cheek and brush the hair from his forehead.

Unable to prevent her words from spilling from her lips she whispers, "What the?"

The girl is singing quiet declarations of love as Eric helplessly smiles lost and genuine at her with a love-struck expression. His hand gently takes hers as he reaches up to cup her cheek, _"It's you…the one I've been dreaming of. You're real."_

Elsa's confused eyes won't cooperate and look away as she turns her head towards Hans, "Who is that?" No response comes and she finally tears her eyes from Eric and his mystery girl to glance at Hans who appears as dumbfounded as she feels.

Hans quietly drawls, _"You don't think that he's dreamt of…"_

 _"No…"_ Elsa breathes as her eyes dart back to Eric.

The girl smiles affectionately as she gently nods her head, "Prince Eric?"

He laughs brightly as he grins, "Prince?! No, just Eric."

Her silvery laughter carries through the courtyard before she bites at her lip and lowers her chin coyly, "You've never been _JUST Eric_ to me. You're MY Prince, in my dreams…"

"I don't know your name," he replies with a husky whisper as he slowly pushes himself up with one arm, close enough to share her breath.

Hans grabs Elsa's hand with a chuckle, "She's his match!"

Elsa's brow is pulled tightly, "Or he hit his head harder than we thought."

The girl's face falls with Eric's admission, disappointment in her voice, "You don't know who I am?"

His gaze falls to her lips before meeting her eyes again, "Not exactly. Some nights you're a headstrong mermaid, a daughter of King Triton and I'm battling a sea witch to save you or you're saving me from drowning. Other nights you're my wife and mother of my daughter. But regardless, you've always been with me, singing in my dreams and nameless."

Elsa feels Hans squeeze her hand tightly and she turns her head to find him studying her with helpless wonder and pulling her into his arms, "I didn't know your name until I saw you on the news a few years ago and the reporter said it. I literally fell off the treadmill and sat on the floor watching you like an epiphany."

Elsa finds herself unable to resist Hans' bizarrely contagious excitement as he presses soft lips to her cheek and settles behind her with his chin on her head. Breathlessly she whispers, " _How is this possible_? And how old is she, anyway? She looks younger than Anna!" She can feel Hans' warm chest pressed into her back as he huffs his silent agreement and his arms tighten around her. She glanced back to Eric and is shocked.

_HE'S. KISSING. HER._

"We should maybe break this up. I can't have the head of my personal guard making out with random potentially underage nameless girls that he's never met before in his life…at the bottom of the steps of the chapel."

Hans chuckles from behind her, "You're a stick in the mud sometimes…"

Eric's pulled back from the girl, excited revelation in his eyes as his breath comes heavy. He takes both her hands between his and whispers, " _Ariel…your name is Ariel."_


	27. Chapter 27

The night sky was bright with stars and tipping towards morning by the time Elsa quietly closed the door to her private chambers, leaning against the centuries old wood and letting her head drop back gently with a sigh of relief as her eyes fluttered closed.

_Horizontal. I should really be horizontal before I close my eyes._

Her exhausted mind began skipping over fragments of the day as she tried to find the motivation to move.

_I pray Eric will be okay._

Eric had indeed hit his head harder than initially thought, requiring transport to the hospital for imaging and subsequent admission due to a slight fracture in his skull and concern for possible evolving subdural hematoma.

_(Eric called to tell her that he was being admitted to the Neuro unit at the hospital and repeated what the physicians had told him. Petrified and worried, she snapped that she had no idea what he was saying and begged him to dumb it down so she could understand._

_"Evidently I don't have a thick skull, and I may have bruised my brain."_

_Stricken with guilt, she repeatedly apologized for freezing the steps, only confusing Eric further – evidently not remembering he slipped on ice. His only concern was where Ariel was and that Ariel knew where he was (anxiously). He sounded tearful as she assured him that she'd personally update Ariel, Eric whispering hoarsely, "Thank you, Elsa. I just found her and can't lose her." She could hear him clear his throat suddenly and sarcastically mutter, "Christ, I sound like you…I must have a head injury or these nurses slipped something into my IV to make me crazy." At that point she informed him that she was hanging up now since he was behaving more jerk-like (reassuringly normal) and she'd be by later to see him.)_

**Ariel.**

_(A brand new, bizarre situation to add to her soap-opera. Hans inadvertently took the lead with trying to understand exactly who she was – aside from the soloist for Elsa's coronation, and potential ramifications of Eric's "affections". Elsa was certain there was going to be drama surrounding that.)_

**So much has happened…**

(As the ambulance left, Anna had taken one look at Elsa's wringing hands and announced she would stayed by Elsa's side as the commotion and confusion escalated before the rehearsal for the coronation, allowing Hans to address the information Eric had disclosed when they spoke earlier in the morning. Time was of the essence as his family had been invited to attend the coronation and were set to arrive in Norway in two days' time.

With bright eyes and easy smiles and fits of giggles, Anna made the day _wonderful_ , distracting Elsa as anxiety tried to fester. She ridiculously tried to encourage Elsa to make it snow inside the chapel at one point ( _It's a little warm, if only there was…OH, I don't know. SNOW.)_ There was the gown fitting, yards of black, teal, and purple velvet beautifully transformed into an elegant work of art that needed last minute alterations, Anna couldn't stop gushing over it _(Beautiful! Elsa, you look absolutely perfect!)_. The monotony of practicing her address to the people of Norway droned on for an hour before her first advisor's meeting and reception that evening to formally meet her council _(Anna convincing her to indulge in a glass of white wine with her, repeatedly asking her to chill the glass when it became too warm. After the third request and Elsa was beginning to feel like she was there only to perform parlor tricks for Anna and she groaned, "Just drink the wine, if you want it." Anna grinned, "I like it really cold. And want to take advantage of my sister's super power." Elsa had to smile.)_

**Eric.**

_(He looked awful. Anna's warm hand holding hers and reassuring smile helped her to remain ice free as she was overwhelmed, the strange disinfectant and chemical smell of the hospital combined with the shock of seeing Eric hooked up to more monitors and machines than she could count, IV tubes and some strange tube/wire coming out of his head that was monitoring the pressure in his brain (they can do that?) – oh no._

_Eric seemed to be in good spirits, trying to make jokes to see Elsa smile (making her feel horrible). "Elsa, I'm going to be fine. I promise." She sat at the foot of his bed quietly for a long time, silently studying him and wondering what the duce was going on._

_He held her gaze, "I'm sorry I let you down. And I should have explained everything much sooner to you. Please believe me when I tell you I had nothing to do with taking the photos or releasing them to the media. I feared Hans was involved in all this, and was trying to protect you." He glanced down before looking back at her, sighing in resignation, "I…I understand if you wish to dismiss me from your service."_

_She shook her head as she frowned, "You made a mistake. We all do, some big and some small….but…I know how important second chances can be."_

_He smiled sadly and rested his head back on the bleach white pillow and closed his eyes, "Thank you."_

_They sat silently as a nurse came into the room to push some medicine into his IV and cycled the monitors, asking him to rate his pain and if there was anything he needed. He glanced at Elsa and groaned something about not understanding the nurse, Elsa narrowed her eyes slightly before turning to the young woman and translating, leaving the nurse tongue-tied that she was speaking to the future Queen. She curtsied as she left, leaving Eric grinning at Elsa, "Thanks for not calling me out there. I did sorta understand her but she was so awestruck that you were coming to see me and was dying to meet you. I think you just made her year." She huffed a soft laugh as she blushed and silence fell upon them again._

_It was Anna who brought up the subject of Ariel, "You know, she's sixteen."_

_His eyes were wide and unfocused as he looked at Anna, "Oh. " He blinked as if startled by a memory, "Yes."_

_He turned his head to Elsa with a pleading gaze, "No."_

_Eric snapped his eyes suddenly back to Anna, "No…She was sixteen when I first met her. But, I'm not supposed to be this much older."_

_Anna shook her head in confusion, looking to Elsa as Eric continued, "I hoped she just looked like she did in the dreams when I met her, but was closer to my age." His hands practically clawed at his face as he stuttered with conviction, "It…it doesn't matter. We face a sea-witch as well as her all powerful, over protective father once to be together, we will find a way to make this work. I'm sure we will."_

_Anna kicked Elsa's foot to get her attention, eyes wide and mouthing "HE'S C-R-A-Z-Y!"_

_Elsa whispered sadly, "Maybe not." She turned her palm upright and glanced over to Eric before looking up at Anna, "Are you ready for the magic?"_

_Anna gasped a giggle as her mouth fell open and pulled a smile, nodding quickly as Eric looked at them embarrassed and confused._

_Elsa turned to Eric with a cleansing breath as she began twisting her wrists to circle her hands, a soft bluish light and flickering white snowflakes conjuring in the space between, "I have spent a lifetime dreaming of Hans and snow, but knowing him as Prince Hans of the Southern Isles. It's a world that I freeze solid and almost kill my dear sister with icy magic with no way to thaw. A nightmare, really. The moment I saw him, I mean - I saw Hans floating on that ship, I knew he was meant for me…my fate. When we shared our first kiss, vivid, I don't know…memories? Surfaced…and so did my magic." As she finished she cupped her hands atop each other and a perfect snowflake appeared suspended and spinning between the palms of her hand until she pressed her hands together and it vanished._

_Anna was grinning and biting lower lip, Eric blinking strangely, "Ah. Um, I don't know what to do with this information. Either I am hallucinating, or having a stroke."_

_Anna giggled, "Nope! Neither. Elsa, you should make it snow on him, he'll get it then. Welcome to the circle of trust and Elsa's crazy alternate universe, my friend. Hans and I know, too. Although this is a lot to spring on a guy with a head injury, isn't it?" Anna paused to bite at the inside of her lip as she thought, turning to Elsa, "I didn't realize about the dreams you had. That explains some things…"_

_Elsa felt the blush rise on her fair complexion as she watched her fingers fidget in her lap, "Just, I empathize with what Eric must be feeling right now. And Eric, if you need my help or support you have it."_

_"I've loved her my entire life, I'd rather die that live without her," Eric whispered like a confession.)_

Throughout the day, Anna had kept in contact with Hans, texting with updates - but Elsa hadn't seen hide nor hair of Hans since the morning.

Her eyes still closed, Elsa hadn't move yet from where she had leaned against the door of her chambers as she wondered, _how many other rulers of Norway have leaned against this wood, too exhausted to move?_

She felt her left knee give slightly as she dozed off, startling her back to consciousness to realize she was still vertical.

_Uff da._

_I don't want to walk._

_Hans._

_He can carry me._

_Wait, he's not supposed to be here._

It was hours ago that she texted him to go sleep in his guestroom when he asked if she was coming to bed anytime soon. Gerda having assured her that his belongs had been relocated for him during the afternoon.

_(That's so very thoughtful, my love. I appreciate that you've taken into consideration my comfort and welfare for the night. May I remind you that you'll need to sleep as well, and perhaps after such a stressful day you'd prefer not to unwind alone? In solitary confinement? You may find my presence more…satisfying.)_

She huffed slow and soft, "Hans?"

Silence.

_Nuts. Where the hell is he?_

She pried her eyes open and slowly wandered through the dining and sitting rooms towards the bedchamber, sleepily swaying with her steps. Quiet singing caught her ear, growing louder as she approached the cracked door. Half-light washed over her as she pushed the door open to reveal Hans, singing softly along with the music he was listening to (earbuds in) and immersed in whatever it was he was working on.

He's taken over her bed.

_Figures…_

He hasn't noticed her yet as he sits up against the headboard in nothing but his pajama bottoms, posture relaxed but still oddly formal with his knee propped up and his arm rested upon it. His fingers are raised to his head, twisting and worrying in his hair as he stares intently at the screen of his laptop, Olaf curled up against him and sleeping at his hip, purring quietly. Hans absentmindedly twirls a pencil between his fingers, pausing to use the eraser as a tool to hunt and peck keystrokes on the keyboard that lays skewed across his other leg (half tucked under the down comforter). An iPad, his phone, and a binder of papers lay scattered around him and there is a sterling silver service tray that has assorted sweets and crudité on a plate, a bottle of beer sitting in an ice bucket, an empty bottle on the nightstand beside him. Powerful yet lean muscles flex across his bare chest and tone abdomen, fair skin and scattered freckles across broad shoulders and long muscular arms tempt her, bathed in the warm lamplight and inviting. The need to curl close to him crashes over her in her next breath as she realizes she's staring.

Elsa takes a small step across the threshold, mildly torn between bemusement and exasperation with him. It hits her that she's too tired to be anything other than honest with herself - wanting nothing more than to melt into his skin. She watches him for long moments with dark eyed as the warmth coils low and spreads across her flesh.

_Well, maybe a bit more…_

Elsa finds herself wide awake with so many words lined up on her tongue, but none seem anxious to spill out with her breath. Instead, she wets her lips and ducks her head as she turns to go to the bathroom to freshen up before conquering him, _every inch of him_. It occurs to her that she should really learn to reign in the urge to be so foolish when she's alone with him.

"Elsa!" She can hear his smile twisted into her name.

She throws a glance over her shoulder and meets his eyes with a smirk, "Love what you've done to my bed, Hans. You know, the guest bed would have worked just as well as an office." She sways a hip into the doorway as she turns back to face him, leaning against the frame while holding her elbows, "Not exactly what I had imagined you meant when you eluded to _satisfying me."_

The way his eyes darken and lips pull with his rough exhale sparks heat to curl in her belly, and all thoughts of remaining wisely in control vanish from her mind. Hans shoves the laptop aside as he rises from the bed, elegant and fluid movements as he grabs a box tied up with ribbon off the bedside table and presents it to her with a respectful nod of his head, "I got you something, My Queen."

Elsa wets her lips as she pushes off the doorframe and slowly strides to him, chin dropped slightly as she watches him through eyelashes. The fascination that lights his eyes is magnetizing as he says softly, "How was your day? Mine was lonely but extremely productive. We have some interesting things to discuss."

She finds herself unable to prevent herself from mirroring his smile, but presses her lips together as her gaze drops to the box he holds, "Similar, I suppose. I'm worried about Eric, but he doesn't seem too concerned."

"Concerned with what? That he may end up mentally lame? He didn't have a lot going on up there to begin with, to be honest," Hans smirks and Elsa's hand darts out and smacks him hard.

"Stop it!"

His laughter is quiet under his breath as he sighs, "Come on, lighten up. That was actually his joke about himself, you can check my text messages."

She glares at him as he leans over to kiss her softly, staring intensely into her eyes as he pulls back, "Sometimes I am frightened by how much I love you. There is nothing else in this world that could compare to the light you have brought into my life. I look at you, and you are…my everything. I want nothing more than to be at your side and for you to let me love you. I mean that genuinely."

Elsa swallows thickly, blinking past the tears that she fears are trying to well up. She exhales softly, "I love you, Hans." She unties the bow silently, removing the top and frowning slightly as she peers into the box.

Her voice is flat and questioning, "A roll of papers tied with a ribbon, prenatal vitamins, and condoms?"

"The papers are for you. I stopped into a store while running errands and the vitamins and condoms were sort of an impulse purchase. I didn't know if you already took a vitamin, but those are supposed to be important for a developing baby even before the baby is, well, not quite there yet to develop – something about the brain. Any child of mine will need all the help they can get, so those are just in case you are pregnant. The condoms are for me, in case you're not and wish to remain that way." He smirks.

She's dumbfounded as stares blankly at him in silence before clearing her throat slightly, "Ah."

His face falls, "I did something wrong, didn't I?"

"No, just. Yes? I don't know how I feel about…" she huffs as she grabs the rolled papers out of the box and replaces the lid as she glances up at him sympathetically. "You are so strange sometimes, Hans. I must love you desperately."

She shakes her head slightly as she pulls the ribbon off and loops it around her finger. Glancing at the first page, she brushes past him to his bottle of beer and taking a long drink of it before sitting in the spot he'd claimed on her bed.

It's a prenuptial agreement.

Written in Norwegian.

She flips quickly to the signature page, it's been prepared by one of her lawyers _(In Service to the Crown of Norway)_ which catches her off guard and causes her to feel unbalanced. "Why?"

"I am going to force you to read that entire thing, Elsa. But that document supports what I have said all along, that I love you and I want nothing more than to be at your side and with our children. No power or titles, no wealth, nothing. Should the marriage be annulled or end in divorce, which it won't, but if it does – you get half of everything I may own or accumulate after we are wed and I get nothing from you except to be allowed to live near you and our children and grandchildren. No property, no alimony, nothing. Just visitation rights and the ability to stay in Norway."

"Your father…" she starts but is unable to finish as she's too startled to form an actual sentence.

Hans approaches the bed and kneels beside it, looking up at Elsa as he leans on the mattress, crossing his arms and taking her hand, "This is the exact opposite of everything he's advised and advocated for me since he found out you had accepted my proposal. This agreement leaves me thus him, powerless. He'll gain nothing from our marriage. Or a divorce. And he has no claim to any children as far as grandparent rights. I'm worthless to him if you sign that."

Elsa drops the legal papers to her side and pulls him up to her, kissing him like an exclamation point as he grabs at the headboard to hoist himself over her. She pants into his mouth, "Clean off the bed while I freshen up. You're going to be needing those condoms, sweet Prince."


	28. Chapter 28

There is a huge icy castle, glorious and sparkling in the morning light, on the rug.

Sunlight streamed through the windows of the bedchamber with the rise of dawn as Elsa blinked happily up at Hans, snaking herself around him as he sits propped up in her bed holding her cup of coffee for her and staring with mouth agape at the center of the room.

She's just conjured a solid freeform fabrication of her Ice Palace at the North Mountain in Arendelle, with gentle flicks of her wrist and fingers, as if weaving the ice which obeys her every whim into perfect shape and scale. Better than any 3-D design software she's ever used _(she finds herself wishing she had her powers during her architecture program – she may have been able to get out of numerous computer program courses that she found frustrating.)_

"Do you like it?" she giggles with a rush of defiance _(not quite the same as when she created her actual Ice Palace, no one saw her do that…but Hans is watching now and it turns out she is a bit of a show-off)_.

"Wow." His eyes flash with concern as a pained expression fixes itself to his features, a stark contrast to her excitement. He studies her icy castle silently as his lips narrow and Elsa finds herself desperate to know what he's remembering, although she's beginning to regret conjuring the physical manifestation of her seat of power during her eternal winter. She realizes how open his expressions are with her, not the practiced mask he wears when interacting with others and she finds her smile pulling wider at his honesty with her. His voice is calm and quiet, "Please tell me there is no gigantic abominable frost giant guarding your fortress."

Elsa shakes her head slightly, "What?"

"That thing almost killed me after I declared no harm was to come to you," he says flatly as he takes a sip of her coffee.

Bewildered, Elsa huffs a laugh, "Marshmallow? He wasn't bad." With an upturn of her hand and flutter of fingers, she conjures a small ( _perfectly scaled to complement her Ice Palace)_ non-living Marshmallow, smiling and happy. Her lips twist endearingly as she looks at the figure in her hand.

Hans coughs as coffee goes down his airway, "That is NOT what the daemon beast looked like. Spiked barbs of armor covered his arms and shoulders, as well has his legs – I think his evil eyes glowed as he focused his attacks."

Elsa's confusion seems to grow as he remains concerned, "What? Marshmallow was nothing but a big marshmallow, keeping people out."

Hans wears a genuinely baffled expression, "Did you name him that?"

"No. I think it was Olaf. Maybe Kristoff…no, probably Olaf."

Hans moved to set the coffee cup down on the bedside as Elsa repositioned herself at his side, "Do you spike your coffee or did you just say that your Persian cat named your snow monster?"

"Of course not, Hans! That's nonsense. Olaf was a snowman that Anna and I made when we were little girls back in Arendelle that I somehow brought to life as I made my way to the North Mountain."

Hans' expression shifts to one of wonder, "You mean to tell me that your magic allows you to bestow life, actual life, into snow and ice? Like, _Frosty the Snowman,_ who came to life one day?"

"I guess? But I am trying to avoid…" Before she can finish, he's wrapped her tightly into his arms and rolled her onto her back as he passionately captures her mouth with his with a quiet growl. He pulls himself a breath away as he presses his forehead to hers, "You're amazing." The gold flecks in his green eyes practically sparkle as he speaks to her, distracting her for a moment before she smiles playfully while freeing her hand pinned between them, "Marshmallow agreed." She holds his little figure up in front of Hans with a giggle, Hans grinning as he tries to grab it from her unsuccessfully as he mumbled, "…he's creepy".

**_Knock…Knock!_ **

Gerda's voice came sternly through the door, "Your Highness? I will not serve breakfast without knowing if all parties in your chamber are decent. I know Mr. Westergaard is in there with you."

Elsa finds herself mortified, glancing at a ridiculously grinning Hans _(irritating)_. She scrambles out of her bed to open the door for Gerda, anxious to prove that they are indeed _decent_ as Hans laughs her name mockingly _(she scowls at him)._ She pulls the door wide to find poor Gerda looking just as awkward and embarrassed as she feels and she immediately regrets not sending Hans to his guestroom after he brought her morning coffee to her. _(But he was so tender and so sweet as he snuggled close to her and began chatting so happily in her ear that she couldn't deny herself the need to indulge in a new morning ritual that involved caffeinating herself with Hans at her side.)_

Gerda raised an eyebrow as she looked over Elsa's shoulder at Hans sitting up against the headboard in Elsa's bed, averting his eyes from her gaze before catching his breath. His eyes startle wide at something off to the side of Elsa's periphery.

Gerda catches sight of what Hans is looking at and gasps as her hands fly to clutch her face, "KAI!" Her eyes dart frantically to Elsa as she pulls her to her side and into her arms _(safely out harm's way), "_ Goodness, child! WHAT IS THAT?"

Elsa glances down to her hand, her fingers still wrapped tightly around her small figure of Marshmallow and realizes the Ice Castle still stands tall and glistening and _obvious_ in the center of the room. She smiles sheepishly at Kai who appears almost instantly (and huffing) at Gerda's side with a look that could kill that settles upon Hans in Elsa's bed. As he narrows his brow and begins to push past Gerda and Elsa to get into the room, Hans shakes his head defensively and points towards the ice palace that Kai had somehow not yet noticed. Kai's eyes follow, landing upon the castle as Norwegian vulgarities tumble out his mouth before he slaps a hand over it and looks at Gerda for explanation.

Elsa is unable to suppress the bubble of laughter threatening to spill, earning a stern _"ELSA!"_ from Gerda that sound surprisingly like a curse. Elsa sighs and gently touched the older woman's arm, turning to the Ice Palace, "I have something I need to tell you. And I need you both to not freak out."

Gerda blinked strangely at the Ice Palace before grunting something unintelligible.

Elsa grimaced, looking to Hans who sat cringing a supportive smile with a shrug of his shoulders before she confessed, "I have magical powers to control snow and ice. And I was frivolously showing off and made a castle this morning on the rug."

Gerda shook her head in disbelief, _"I need to sit down…"_

* * *

H: You still alive? Elsa's worried about you.

It's the third text he's sent Eric with no response and now its midday. He considers adding something snarky to his message, but thinks better of it when the possibility of having Elsa read his conversation pushes to the forefront of his thoughts. He'd rather not get scolded when he finally gets to see Elsa again (who's been tied up in meetings since she kissed him goodbye after breakfast).

Anna, maybe. He tries texting her.

H: Have you heard anything from Eric today?

A: _No. Why?_

H: I haven't either. Not that I am concerned, but Elsa will ask when she gets out of her meeting.

A: _I'll call him._

H: Thanks. Try calling the nurse's station if you can't get him on his cell – his phone battery may have died.

A: _K_

Maybe Ariel is at the hospital, visiting Eric and thus his silence. His mind wanders to Ariel and all the things he hasn't yet talked to Elsa about, mostly because it isn't his business and wants to stay out of any more emotionally messy situations. Scrolling through iTunes he finds Ariel's latest single that she released last week; a teenager on the cusp of making it big as a pop star in Europe and hoping it translates into success in the U.S. market. He hits play and begins to listen to the lyrics paired with a catchy tune and beat, far more provocative and mature than the girl he spoke with yesterday as her angry father glared at him _(as if he was responsible for Eric kissing Ariel and absurdly professing his undying love for her, not even knowing her name or who she REALLY was)._ He smirked remembering the pity he felt for Eric as Ariel argued with her father, Kingston Triton, "I'm sixteen years old, Daddy! I'm not a _child_ anymore! You don't need to protect me…my eyes are open and I've seen far more than you know!"

_GOOD LORD. Have fun with that, Eric._

He found himself trying to consider how he would have felt at sixteen to find a thirty year old Elsa…a lifetime older. Actually, he may have been just as excited _._ Sixteen and excited for _very different,_ more hormonal reasons.

_Yes. Different._

His phone rang _(Anna)_ , interrupting the song playing, "Westergaard here."

He can practically _hear_ the way Anna rolls her eyes at him, "I know that, Hans. I called you, remember?"

Hans begins to present his reasons for answering his phone with who he is rather than asking who the caller is, but clicks his tongue as he realizes that Anna wouldn't likely be calling if her response to "how's Eric?" was "he's fine". His stomach sinks slightly as he asks the question.

Anna's silence weighs heavy between them before she manages to spit out, "Bad. Things got worse overnight…something about his pressure and the brain swelling. He's on a ventilator and they had to put him into a drug induced coma because of his injury."

"Crap."

"Yeah, that's what I thought. I'm worried about how Elsa's going to take it. You saw her yesterday and that was with him conscious," Anna says seriously.

Hans pinched the bridge of his nose as his eyes screwed shut, "Okay, ah. My family arrives tonight as does Eugene and Rapunzel, Eric is in a coma, and your sister is one panic attack away from unleashing another 'Eternal Winter' upon us."

It was Anna's groan of agreement in surround sound behind him that startled him. Spinning on his heel he finds Kristoff and Anna looking at him as she ended the call with a frown. Kristoff chuckles sarcastically, "Eternal Winter? Sounds permanent."

He realizes that he knows nothing of the man standing beside Anna aside from Elsa mentioning his name in passing. Hans shakes his head, "Yeah, but I suppose it wasn't. Permanent, that is. But maybe we should have a contingency plan in place in case she does. Hey, Eugene can help."

"He was no help last time," Anna sighs.

Hans stills, startled by her comment, "What?"

She repeats herself, slowly in English as if language was the problem, "He was no help last time."

He can feel his heart racing as his mind grasped at dreams and flickers of memories, unable to recall ever seeing Eugene at Elsa's coronation in Arendelle, "He was in Arendelle?"

Anna glances at Hans, "With Rapunzel. I remember waving 'hi' to her before the coronation, outside the gates. He was with her. It was before I crashed into your poor horse."

Hans' eyes are bewildered and unable contain his amazement, "Wow. I never knew that." He runs a hand through his hair as he thinks quickly, "Good. He's helping this time. Any idea where the nearest "North Mountain" is? This morning she built her scale model. Kai almost lost it and Gerda practically had a heart attack when they saw it, so she has her plans for her icy fortress."

Anna giggles, "That's awesome. I mean, poor Gerda."

"I'd like to take a polite pass on facing off with Marshmallow again," he finishes flatly.

Anna _grins,_ almost maniacally. "OOOOOOOOOOooooooh! I forgot about him! He had a lot of spunk."

They pause their odd reminiscing to glance at Kristoff, who looks unamused.

"He doesn't know, does he? About Elsa." Hans asks gently.

Anna looks down to her feet, "I've not talked about it yet with him. I wasn't sure how Elsa would react. Dr. Pabbie might be able to help, though."

Kristoff chuckles glancing between Anna and Hans, "Need me to get Grand Pabbie? Whatever it is you two crazy people are talking about seems to be right up his alley."


	29. Chapter 29

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Trolls: These ancient creatures might be found in the Valley of the Living Rock, but only if they want to be found. Trolls are masters of minerals and yielders of the night sky. They are also overbearing, loud, meddlesome, inappropriate, and heavy-really heavy. But they mean well and love well." ―Official Disney Bio

Dr. Pabbie paces before the group gathered in Elsa's sitting room, leaving Elsa perplexed regarding his serious tone and somber disposition. He met her outside of the council chambers to escort her to her private chambers with a simple, "Your Highness, the time has come for transparency and explanation, I fear."

Elsa presses her lips together as Hans grips her hand tightly, whispering into her ear, "I'm not entirely sure what's going on, but feel free to kiss me passionately should you need to."

She huffs a laugh she was unaware she was capable of as she shifts closer to him, "You're pushing your luck, sweet Prince."

His wet mouth presses behind her ear with a chuckle as Dr. Pabbie begins with, "I'm afraid the magic has weakened over the centuries."

Her eyes dart up to the old psychiatrist as he waves his arm before them and is transformed into a small, wide, stone troll.

Memories flash vividly as Hans stiffens beside her.

**_Get the fiancé out of the way and the whole thing will be fixed!_ **

_An auburn hair Prince is on his hands and knees on the mossy ground of the Valley of the Living Rock. Anguish and resignation, the likes of which he had never known, dropping him to the ground. Bile surges up Prince Hans' throat as he struggles to control himself, the shock in finally knowing the truth driving him mad. The sympathy in Queen Elsa's eyes, the remorse etched upon the faces of Princess Anna and the blonde man beside her (her husband, he was told), and the synchronously blinking eyes from the mass of on-looking trolls do little to comfort him._

_Prince Hans had sailed upon the request of the Kingdom of Arendelle years following his transgressions at the time of Her Majesty's coronation. His father acquiescing to the request in large part due to his apathy as well as morbid curiosity. The personal correspondence from Her Majesty, The Snow Queen of Arendelle explained simply that new information regarding the events following her coronation had been brought to light and the Kingdom of Arendelle wished to host a visit from the thirtieth Prince to strengthen relations with The Southern Isles and offer opportunity for all parties involved to reconcile, if this was amenable. His father had laughed wickedly when he spoke with Hans as preparations to sail were made, convinced it was either an attempt to have Hans returned to face trial and death or something far more torrid from the still unwed Queen (unwed for a reason; respectfully feared by most of rulers and nobles for her powers). The King scoffed at the correspondence, "The frigid Virgin Queen has grown lonely and idle, looking for a pet who's not afraid to touch her. Enjoy yourself, Hans."_

_Queen Elsa stood to the side and whispered softly, "I'm so sorry…"_

_The Prince's head throbs as he coughs violently before lifting his chin and managing angrily, "Get the fiancé out of the way...I was cursed."_

_The Valley is silent as he tried to calm his breathing, "So I'm not in control, of anything?" His eyes dart frantically to the old troll and back to Queen Elsa, "I simply spend my life in breathless pursuit of meaningless goals?! Trying to reflect and anchor myself to something larger that I've deemed significant…that's actually not? I'm a mirror?"_

_The old troll sighs as he places a stone hand upon the shoulder of the thirteenth Prince of the Southern Isles, "I'm so sorry, young Prince. Your fate is like that of the fractured looking glass. Your choice is simply what to reflect. Nothing more, nothing less."_

_Hans clenches his teeth together, unable to suppress the growl of frustration that stirs from his throat as he bows his head and his stomach churns._

_Grand Pabbie lumbers heavily to the Queen, waving his hand into the night sky. Immediately it illuminates brightly with contrasting shadow of Prince Hans and a shattered mirror, "Your Majesty, I cannot undo the curse - what the other meddlesome trolls did was inappropriate but cannot be undone. I can promise that it will not happen again and we will put aside our magic and remain secluded from the world. I can offer a second chance to Prince Hans, to live a life without the weight of his history burdening his choices. Or yours."_

_The young Queen narrows her eyes as she squeezes her hands together anxiously, gaze darting between Kristoff and the elder troll, "I don't understand. Kristoff said the trolls made a mistake and cursed Hans during the winter I caused following my coronation. Kristoff promised that you could fix this. Hans' actions were not his own, but rather influenced and persuaded by the intentions of those around him after he was cursed."_

_The elder troll replies simply, "Yes. But I cannot erase the past. However, you may choose to face the future, together."_

_She approaches Hans cautiously, an unsure hand delicately reaching for his chin as she kneels beside him. She glances back at Anna as her fist coils and darts back to her chest nervously, unsure if her actions may be construed as inappropriate and not wanting to upset her pregnant sister. Anna frowns but nods her head, encouraging Elsa as Kristoff wraps his arms securely around Anna's slight frame and swollen belly, whispering apologies and insisting that she allow Elsa and Grand Pabbie to make things right. While his family did not act out of maleficence, their magic resulted in a series of unfortunate events that almost caused the death of the Queen of Arendelle and destroyed the life of the youngest Prince of the Southern Isles._

_It occurs to Elsa that before her is the man who inspired her Kingdom and her people to persevere in the face of horrific adversity, a disaster inflicted upon them by her, and he led them successfully – avoiding loss of life and minimizing damage. He charmed her sister into a betrothal in a single evening, and stopped HER from becoming a murder with a single sentence. She may control the elements of winter, but she finds that she struggles to be half as effective a leader as he was. Selfishly she is drawn to him even though years have passed since she last laid eyes on him. She finds his pull, what he can do and where his potential lies, irresistible._

_She raises his chin with her hand and he gently tips his head into her touch before his eyes, green like spring, sharp and frustrated, meet hers with a twist of his lips._

_Her breath catches in her chest as he meets her gaze. "Would you change your fate, Prince Hans?"_

_His looks at her through thick eyelashes, seductive voice so quiet she finds herself watching his mouth to understand him, "Only if it would allow me to have you, My Queen…" He pulls his chin towards the elder troll, "Change my fate and make me hers."_

_She blinks, startled by his brazen confession. Years of whispers fill her ears like ghosts haunting…_

_The Virgin Queen._

_Frigid._

_Cold._

_Untouchable._

_Her mind races as her eyes dart over his form, muscular angles and strength combined with formal grace and she feels something strange coil and ignite in her. Her heart races as thoughts flood her imagination, meeting his gaze again with a blush evident on her cheeks. "You only wanted me because I was the heir, because I am Queen."_

_"Untrue."_

_Embarrassed and mortified she pulls closer, "You don't fear that I will freeze you at the slightest touch?"_

_His voice come smooth, caressing down her spine like a feather, "I've already had the honor, Your Grace. You were curled tenderly in my arms the entire ride back to Arendelle from the North Mountain." He wets his lips and drops his gaze to her mouth and back to her shocked eyes, "I must confess, I pressed my lips to your flesh and suffered no ill effects aside from the burning lust to become yours, My Queen."_

_Elsa stutters an exhale as he quirks his mouth, "Surely you must know how desirable you truly are, Elsa."_

_The flush rises brightly across her fair completion as she startles, turning to Grand Pabbie, "He doesn't mirror me, does he?"_

_"It is your magic that prevents him from being able to do so, Your Majesty."_

_Her eyes snap back to Prince Hans as she questions slowly (possibilities beginning to align themselves), "With me, he is uninfluenced and himself?"_

_Grand Pabbie nods, "Yes, I believe so."_

_Elsa rises and turns to Kristoff and Anna as she worries her lower lip before raising her chin and declaring, "He stays with me, if he is amenable. It is the only way for him to have an opportunity to live his life without the influence of the curse brought on by Kristoff's family."_

_Anna begins to argue before Elsa finds her anger and jealousy pooling tightly. Anna stands beside her husband, looking down at her former fiancé…Anna's wanted and loved. Something that Elsa feels she has never experienced._

**_Don't I deserve companionship? To feel the touch of a lover in the dark of night and the joy of bearing a child born from the passions of the flesh…_ **

_Grand Pabbie seems to understand Elsa's silence, gesturing with his hand to conjure the flickering images into a looking glass, "Your Majesty, your powers. Will you want them?"_

_Elsa blinks confused, unsure of what he means and feeling as if things are unraveling too quickly for her to understand, "Excuse me?"_

_He waits patiently for Elsa to reply, triggering the freeze to tear at her bones and she quickly angers at what she feels is a ridiculous question as she meets Hans' gaze intently, "Would I choose to live my life without my powers? To be free of this curse? I want to be touched and loved and not fear hurting those that dare let me near them."_

_Anna quietly calls Elsa's name like an apology and Elsa shuts it away as she ducks her head and closes her eyes to the tears pooling._

_"Done."_


	30. Chapter 30

If Elsa can just keep her back to him, avoiding his gaze, she will have the strength to follow through and stand her ground.

"You don't get to do this, Elsa." Hans' voice is thunderous and his steps heavy and angry as he pursues her, anxiety and guilt having finally pushed her down the rabbit hole and leading her to _flee._

Her fingernails dig into the palms of her hands as sure steps carry her quickly down the North wing of the castle, staff pausing their activity to watch her and her pursuer. Soft murmurs and gasps fill her ears and oddly, she's unconcerned with the fragile ice crystals painting her trail or the sharp gust of cold air she's leaving in her wake.

_I'm actually the Snow Queen – it's time I own it._

She doesn't break her stride as she focuses her magic at her feet and motions her hand lowly to weave an icy fabric thread by thread, quickly conjuring her ice gown. Her lips twist in satisfaction ( _and thrill)_ at its completion and how _powerful and right_ it feels as her wrist twists graceful movements completing the snowflake cape which flutters behind her with her hasty steps.

Defiantly she raises her chin as she halts and spins to face him, so abrupt that Hans practically collides with her, clearly he was expecting her to make it out of the castle before she stopped. He grabs her shoulders, the movement jars her balance slightly and she gasps, reflexively her hands splay across his chest.

"Hans," she manages as her chin pulls down, fearing there is truly no room for argument this time.

He's grabbed her chin in his hand forcefully, raising her eyes to catch his and oh, _oh no._

_Damn it…there is a steady stream of tears spilling from his beautiful eyes._

His eyes are unwavering as he clenches his teeth, "You do _not_ get to decide to throw away _everything_ we have, everything…"

"It's not _REAL_ , Hans! None of this! It's all just a damn illusion… _MAGIC_ ," she chokes out, voice raw and he's suddenly snatched her hand off his heart with a vice-like grip into his. Using his strength, Hans force her into a nearby room, slamming the door behind her. He practically shoves her back into the closed door and she can hear him sob silently before her eyes snap up to his again, her heart breaking at the sight of him.

"We chose this. Both of us. To be together. How is this not real?" he growls at her, an echo of a memory from Arendelle bouncing around in her head.

"How did you choose this? You chose Anna, then were cursed…paving the way for Kristoff," she exhales forcefully as her eyes dart about, "The trolls didn't realize the implications of their magic. Just…" She stutters and buries her face in her hands, "You've been nothing but manipulated and coerced and I took advantage because I was jealous and lonely and…"

**_"BULLSHIT."_ **

Hans grabs her wrists and pins her hands over her head and against the door to expose her face and prevent her from hiding. Elsa's eyes widen suddenly, realizing the physical power he possesses and for a heartbeat concern tries to root itself. As she releases her next breath she finds her trust in him is unwavering and she tips her head back to rest upon the door and meets his intense stare.

"I am hardly a victim, Elsa." He snarls.

"Yes, you were. I have to…" she tries before being cut off by him crowding her. She catches the fleeting look that sets in his eyes and jaw as she speaks, he can read her too well and won't let her finish.

"No. I won't let you go." He sounds broken and lost, ripping a hole in her chest that signals the start of her resolve wavering.

Her eyes sting painfully as she struggles to swallow, unable to find the words to make him understand the strange twisted workings of her mind that she's too embarrassed to share. How she's just trying to protect him from her, from the consequences of her actions.

Hans reaches for her with his free hand, the curve of his palm memorizing the drumming of her pulse under his skin before surging forward and dragging his mouth heavily over hers and she finds herself lit ablaze. She can taste the salt of his tears and catches the moan in his throat which coils deep in her core.

He breaks away roughly, "Elsa, it was always you. Only you. Since I was a boy old enough to understand there was a Crown Princess in the northern kingdom close to my age who was unpromised, not betrothed, it was you. EVERYTHING I am and was, for you. But you wouldn't have me." His eyes are glazed over and brimming with unshed tears and he drops his gaze to her lips and then her form, "I only wanted you to let me love you. At first for all the wrong reasons, then later painfully only for the right ones. No matter where you were, I have and will always, truly, completely love you. Even if it is only by some twisted trick of destiny. And I will let no one put asunder. Not even you."

Elsa tried to suppress the moan in the back of her throat as his hand snakes around her to grasp at her flesh and hall her closer, his lips at the side of her mouth as he mutters, "Is this how you want it? How it has to end?" She turns her head whimpering, _"No,"_ looking to seek out his kiss but he avoids her mouth. "You don't get to decide what's best for me, Elsa."

"I'm your Queen, you heed my command," she begs with needy urgency as she tries to free her hands from his.

Hans' laugh is dark and frustrated, "Convenient you remember that now."

His body pours heat over her flesh like lava into all the parts of her that are trying to freeze, she stutters a whisper as she sadly shakes her head, "No, Hans. What you feel, it's only magic. It's not _real_. And look at all I destroyed because I wanted to feel…" she shuts her eyes tightly and catches the words 'lust' and 'passion' behind her lips. Guilt and embarrassment affix themselves to her features as a blush rises, memories of Hans towering over her slick with sweat and firmly settled between her legs just last night.

Her guilt is palpable as she questions, "Kristoff and Anna were expecting a child, where did the baby go? Anna's now faced with memories of carrying a child she never met and she's only eighteen years old…grieving the loss of a baby she never knew was real until now. And that she was married! I couldn't imagine what it must be like having that thrust upon me…and find out that my sister destroyed my life! And I can't fix this."

"No one is faulting you, you heard Anna. Her path has crossed Kristoff's and they will decide what is right now, not be influenced by what was right then. She's far happier having known you and developed a relationship naturally rather than under unusual circumstances. She said she's never considered having a baby or remembered being pregnant…you're over thinking this!"

She stares at him incredulously, her mind twisting arguments but realizing that Hans will have a response and a reason to contradict her (she suspects she is at a disadvantage should he press for a battle of wits).

At her silence he begs, "Don't run. Stay with me, Elsa. _Please_."

"The mirror…"

"We are all mirrors, reflecting what others want to see in pursuit of our desires. We all chose what to reflect to the world around us. How am I any different?" He strokes her jaw tenderly with his thumb as his words wrap around her mind.

_Memories_ flood Elsa's imagination, Arendelle, Anna, her coronation and Hans, and strange fragments of images that occurred in the years following _(none of which make any more sense than before, just more of them)._

"Look at me, Elsa."

Her eyes fly open, although she can't recall screwing them shut to be honest. Hans appears almost as an apparition, blurred through the tears in her eyes as she tastes his name on her tongue, "Hans. It was because I was the heir I was preferable in Arendelle, and it was Grand Pabbie's magic that drew you to me in this world. Nothing more."

She blinks as he sharply releases her hands and stalks to the open window on the other side of the room (she glances around and realizes it is a small library). He halts and exhales slowly before responding. His voice is smooth as he conquers his frustration, "So easy, then. Everything just… _fell into place,_ like magic?"

Her hand wraps tightly around her wrist as she rubs the blood back, "Yes."

Hans pulls himself tall and formal, folding his hands behind his back at attention as he tips his head over his shoulder in her direction, but not looking away from the window, "Ah."

Something _snaps_ and she's angry again, but bites her tongue as she finds herself unsure of where he is going with this.

She pushes off and away from the door, as she approaches him he calls to her, " _Don't."_

"Don't what?"

His voice is low, "Don't patronize me. You're making dangerous assumptions."

Her eyes narrow as her words come laced with furry, "Then enlighten me, _Sweet Prince."_

_Oh, that got his attention…_

In the blink of an eye he rounds on her, fists clinched and brow low, practically snarling, "As a Prince of the Southern Isles, my life was dedicated to you. Everything I did was to prepare me to be at your side, should you allow me. Which you did not."

Elsa huffs in disbelief, "Anna was never prepared in the manner in which you describe. Groomed for an alliance."

He rolls his eyes, "She was hidden behind walls, naïve and secluded from the world...something which I exploited when you refused my father's request for an audience with me."

The freeze surges from her toes and coats the floor in ice as dark jagged fractals flare throughout the library.

He has the audacity to raise an eyebrow, "I've struck a nerve, _My Queen?"_

She choses to ignore his remark, "In this world, it was different. We met and that was it. The magic pushed us together."

Hans laughs dryly, "Again, so simple."

"You're trying to bait me…I'd be very, _very_ careful." Snowflakes begin to flutter and fly around the room as the temperature plummets, Elsa smirks as she notes the shiver up Hans' spine, his arm crossing tightly in front of him.

"When I realized you were real, I learned your native language in my spare time, becoming fluent enough to participate in political conversations with a few of the lawyers and lawmakers I had met who studied and worked closely with Norwegian and Scandinavian assets. I modified my emphasis in law school to International law and sought out any opportunity or experience I could that would allow me access to someone who could formally introduce me to you. I had even spent a summer in Oslo, choosing a summer internship with the U.S. Ambassador to Norway over the U.S. Supreme Court clerkship position I was offered. Again, as soon as I was aware of your existence everything I was and am was dedicated to you. You're my match."

Elsa finds herself embarrassed and speechless regarding her presumptions, why he had never shared with her his preparations she does not know. She blinks unfocused as Hans reads her (again, with unnerving accuracy), wetting his lips before he displays himself with wide arms, "Am I undesirable then…not enough for you? Do I not please you, _My Queen?"_

She knows she's on dangerous ground. _We need to step back…to calm ourselves._

His movements are almost predatory as he presses forward and approaches her. "Say it," he demands with a flash of teeth.

Elsa raises her chin, too proud to back down, "Asks the only man I have ever allowed to know me in such a way. Now who's presumptuous? Needing to hear affirmations of you skills and performance."

He surges towards her with passion in his eyes, focused on her mouth as a hand wraps around her neck and another pulls her flush to him. His kiss is desperate and steals her breath...her hands raise to press to his chest, to hold him back but as her fingertips graze his shirt the freeze releases, stealing his breath and dropping him to the ground with an agonal cry.


	31. Chapter 31

_As her icy magic coursed painful into his chest, it occurs to him that perhaps this was a rather ill-conceived plan._

Hans knew she was in fight or flight mode, and her preference for flight was already well established _(Anna frantically begging him to stop Elsa from fleeing – well, of course he was going after her. But to keep her in the castle he was going to have to get her to fight)._ Elsa's unwavering insistence that she couldn't possibly be in love with him and he couldn't possibly be in love with her did anger him _(It's just MAGIC, Hans. It's not REAL!)._ And he was getting nowhere trying to reason with her, she was being too stubborn and unwilling to listen to logic. Being a practical man, Hans recognized this called for a change tactics. If he could just get her to lose control and act on instinct…just _react,_ perhaps he can provide the ultimate proof to her that what they have is _true love._ Her bullheadedness inadvertently gave him something he could work with on his mission to piss her off.

_Fuck…_

Hans hits the ground like a strike of lightening, the air crying out of his lungs as he painfully heaves for breath. He clutches his chest, finding only his flesh (and it's intact), although he half expected to find an icicle sticking out the way his heart was throbbing painfully with each beat. Suddenly Hans is more conscious of the moment and how time stands still when Elsa meets his gaze, desperate remorse spilling over in her eyes as she drops to her knees beside him, shaking like a leaf. Despite the agony of having been struck at point blank range by Elsa's magic, he can't resist the slight pull in the corner of his mouth as he bows his head back down to avoid her gaze, satisfied that she took the bait.

_Atta girl._

He feels _retched_ for doing this to her, the love of his life, and all just to prove a point _(okay…maybe a bit more than that)._

But she actually did it - she frozen his heart.

_Not on purpose, of course._

With his eyes screwed shut, Hans silently prayed this was _not_ suicide. That his act of true love involves the ethereally beautiful young woman at his side who's frantically trying to figure out if she should touch him or run away to a kingdom of isolation. Grimacing with concern, Elsa handles him as if he were made of glass as she carefully takes him into her arms to comfort him, chanting disbelief and denial and remorse between sobs. He flops to his side in her embrace so he can reach up to cup her cheek gently, offering his apologies for his harsh words and flared temper which causes her to sob harder as her face drops into the crook of his neck. Cool, trembling fingers slide under his untucked shirt and settle over the flesh of his chest before splaying wide as if she was trying to hold his heart in her hand.

"Did. Did I…freeze? _Your heart?"_ she whispers roughly into the skin of his neck between sobs.

Unsure if he could trust his voice, Hans simply nods his head, wrapping his arms around her as she clings tightly to him. Relief settles over him as he closes his eyes and sighs, she's chosen to stay and comfort him rather than make a break for it, and he's encouraged by that. Hans finally ends the heavy silence of the cold, dim room as he whispers gently, "I'm so sorry I pushed you." Elsa doesn't move from where she has buried herself in him, silently trying to calm herself as her soft warm breath ghosts over his flesh. The pain in his chest has dissipated quite suddenly - just leaving him with a strange cool pulsing he can feel in his veins if he concentrates.

_Surprising_.

The sensation surges brightly as he insists, "I love you, Elsa. Regardless of what you may believe led me to place my heart in your hands, I have. It's yours. And if this is _'just magic'_ , I don't want real. I want you." Hans gently presses his palm to Elsa's jaw, pulling her gaze back to him as his eyes search hers.

Devastated, she whispers thickly, "I want you, too. But…"

"No. _NO_ _BUT."_ He frowns slightly before softening his mouth and trailing a finger along her cheek, "You love me, Elsa. For real, not imagined or an illusion. Otherwise this would be easy and perfect and tied up with a neat little bow all inspired by magic. But we've had to fight for this, and occasionally it's hurt. We've had challenges every step of the way as we've grown together. It's been anything but easy." She looked incredulously at him as he speaks, but the shift in gaze provides hope to him that perhaps she's finally willing to listen to what he has been saying, "Does it hurt? To think of a life without me by your side?"

Her eyes shift and give her true feelings away, screaming that she would be devastated and heartbroken. Regardless, she persists in her attempts to persuade him otherwise as the cool magic in his vein surges slightly, "Sometimes doing what's right hurts more than doing what's wrong."

Hans responds with a rather flat look, which encourages her to add, "What I did was selfish and destructive and you deserve to live a life without me hurting you." He smirks as he drags his fingers across her neck and into her hair, "You're not convincing anyone here, Elsa. Not even yourself. Besides, _I like the way you hurt me_."

Elsa looks over him in a flash with a blush as her gaze softens but her voice is stern, "That is not what I meant." She catches her lower lip between her teeth and stares intently at him, "May I look?"

Excitement (regardless of how inappropriate) flickers in his eyes, "You already have."

His teasing seems to snap Elsa back _(to them)_ and it's as if she suddenly realizes that she's talking to _him._ She huffs adorably, doing her best to ignore him while she curses him under her breath. She shoves his shirt up to expose his chest as her breath catches in confusion, "I froze your heart?"

"You asked that already, my love."

Her lip trembles for a breath as her eyes narrow, "But I don't see anything."

Curiosity bites at him and he presses his chin to his chest to look for himself, "I don't feel anything, either. I'd think we would see _something_ , maybe a blueish glow or at least the skin discolored like ice has been pressed to it." Hans glances up to Elsa who carefully studying him, "Perhaps it is because you are my true love?"

The emotion in her eyes is undeniable as she crashes her lips to his passionately, kissing him with such intensity that he find himself willing to submit to whatever fate has in store for him just for this moment in time. The cool surge in his veins begins to warm and _burn_ before Elsa releases his mouth and smiles slowly, eyes still closed. "Perhaps," her voice soft and full of promise.

"Atta girl…can you thaw the icy mess in here?" He says with a slight pull in his grin.

Elsa blinks at him dumbly for a moment _(thaw what?)_ as Hans takes her hand in his, bringing it to his lips and pressing a firm kiss to her fingers. Elsa glances around the room before cringing, "I…I don't know." She takes a cleansing breath and focuses on trying to thaw the ice. Sparkling crystals of snow and ice flutter around the room before dissipating back to whatever potential they had come from. His eyes are lit in amazement, "I love watching it dissipate; it's beautiful as it flickers back to wherever it is you send it. How does that work, anyway? Where does it go?"

She breathes a soft musical laugh as her mouth quirks, "I don't exactly know. Just one of the many mysteries of my magic, I suppose." She tips her head thoughtfully as she looks at him, pondering his question before asking suddenly, "Oh! Like my dress?"

"You look truly breathtaking. I especially liked how you audaciously conjured such a spectacular and flattering ice gown without pausing your strut down the hallway, showing off yet again your beauty and talent and power," he practically purrs, his hand finding the slit in the skirt that has risen high on her thigh and sliding his hand under the cool sparkling fabric and along the thick of her thigh before stilling suddenly. "What happened to the clothes you were wearing?"

She blinks, obviously something she hadn't considered (what happened to her clothes after the gown was on her like a second skin). He grins, taking advantage of a momentarily distracted Elsa to investigate what lies beneath the gown. She squeals and swats his hand away after his fingertips graze the apex of her legs, a bright red flush erupting across her face as Hans' laughter fills the room. "Everything disappeared?! You're going commando under this?"

"What does that mean?"

"You're not wearing any underwear," he laughs. Her silence confirms his suspicions and only encourages him to grin stupid and continue, "Please tell me you are going to wear this for your coronation. I promise not to tell anyone your secret affinity for free-buffing."

"Again, _what?_ Never mind, I'm going to go change," she grumbles and begins to shift before a string of _"No, no, no…"_ comes tumbling out of Hans. "Please don't," he begs ridiculously.

They sit staring at each other, reality affixes itself again slowly and their current situation and consequences push to the forefront of their thoughts. Elsa begins seriously, "Are…are you, going to be okay?"

"I feel fine, aside from the guilt eating me alive for upsetting you so," he replies softly as his smile drops, tucking an aberrant lock of blonde hair behind her ear.

"Elsa…" he starts just to be interrupted by the door flying open and Anna suddenly halting her charge into the room with Kristoff at her heels, both shocked at finding Elsa in her ice gown and Hans lying in her lap. Something's not right.

Elsa's head snapped up to lock eyes with her sister, stuttering, "Hans. It. It…was an accident, I…I didn't _mean_ to!"

He tries to reassure her quietly, "Shh, Elsa. Please don't…"

Hans catches the strange expression that Anna gives as she glances around the dimly lit room before her eyes dart back to his, like her memory tugging at her as her eyes stare blankly at him. Hans follows the path of her gaze around the room and for the first time he notices where they are and how eerily similar the scene around him is to the memories he has of leaving Anna to freeze to death where she had fallen on a rug in the Arendelle castle library. After long moments Anna's eyes blow wide and accusatory (as he rests cradled lovingly in Elsa's arms on the rug before the unlit fireplace), and her jaw drops. Anna looks like she's about to spill something, but instead she simply frowns as she crosses her arms, unsuccessfully hiding the concern in her voice, "You feeling okay, Hans?"

He knows instantly that Anna's put two and two together and understands exactly what has just happened, that he made Elsa freeze his heart. And Elsa has treated him with far more love and care and understanding than he ever showed Anna a lifetime ago _(he doesn't deserve to be treated so well)_. "A little cold, but that's not surprising given the room was just coated in ice," he replies to avoid upsetting Elsa any further, pulling her tenderly into his embrace as he tucks her head gently under his chin.

Hans glances back to Anna who wears a sympathetic expression with her brow pulled tightly in confusion as she mouths, " _WHY?"_

_"I had to stop her. I couldn't let her go",_ he replies silently with a slight shrug of his shoulders and defeat written in his features.

Anna's mouth twists sadly as Kristoff takes her hand into his, her gaze still on Hans. Her voice is barely louder than that of a soft breeze, "Thank you, Hans."

He tips his chin slightly to nod his head into a shallow bow, mouthing silently, " _It was nothing."_

* * *

It's still early, just past dinner but Elsa is already insisting that Hans sleep beside her for the night. She tries to run through the timeline of events again for the next day with Kai – Hans' family arriving later that night _(staff can welcome and settle them in guestrooms…the same staff that seem completely unfazed by her magic, interestingly),_ Rapunzel and Eugene arriving in the next hour and Anna planning to greet and entertain for the evening with Kristoff. Hans had literally just told her about Eric and how his condition deteriorated overnight, just to have Eric text her (almost on cue) a snarky message, " _I almost die and you can't even bother to visit me on my death bed?"_ She laughed and cried and huffed all in the same heartbeat, fingers too heavy and stunned to reply as she shoved her phone into Anna's hands to text (with glee). Anna grinned as she got his reply, looking to Elsa with a sigh, "Ariel's there with him. The nurses keep telling him that as soon as Ariel arrived his pressures were normal and like magic he was better. The doctors want to watch him overnight but he's probably going to be discharged tomorrow!"

_Like magic._

Elsa presses her lips tightly together at that thought.

* * *

It's in the dim moonlight she watches Hans sleep at her side. Elsa finds sleep elusive, she's exhausted and sleepy but can't seem to keep her eyes closed for longer than a few minutes at a time. She's unsettled and anxious and she can't figure out why _(aside from the obvious, of course)_. She quietly crawls out of bed and creeps to the bathroom. On her way back to bed she passes her vanity countertop and her makeup case. Her mind snaps and she realizes what it is that has her unsettled _(add it to the list)._

She's late. She's missed the start of her period, but maybe her cycle is just screwed up because of the missed pills and trying to restart them and the stress of everything.

_Yes, Elsa. No panicking or anxiously wringing hands together before freezing everything into a wintery mess._

Her chest is cold and hard with anxiety as she crawls into bed and snakes herself around Hans' sleeping form, fighting the urge to run and hide.

_I'm to be crowned in 2 days and_ _I..I...have two secrets to spill._

_Stop. I chose this, so no panicking. Own it._

It weighs heavily upon her as she watched his profile, still and perfect and everything she's ever wanted for some _damn_ reason _(is it just magic?)_. Guilt tugs at her as the memory of Hans dropping before her after being struck by her magic, freezing his heart and she feels wretched for practically killing him. But she didn't. He was okay. He's warm and perfect, and she's too tired to fight her desire for him and so she snuggles beside him, the cold fear melting away as her breath falls in time with his. Her eyes flutter open briefly with her breath to catch his profile again, closing sleepily and her thoughts wander away into dreams…

_Her eyes played tricks on her in the darkness, creating a streak of glistening white to highlight his hair_


	32. Chapter 32

Breaking the news to Eugene and Rapunzel about Elsa's magic and their strange shared past was far easier after Anna could feel the warm buzz from her white wine pulsing to her toes.

They sat in one of the private studies in the North wing, talking and laughing while Anna got up the courage to spill Elsa's secret. Regardless of the absurdity of it, neither seemed terribly surprised, although it was by far the strangest conversation Anna had ever had, and that's saying a lot.

Anna watched the ebb and flow of Eugene and Rapunzel with amusement, smiling at how perfectly they balance each other. It turned out that it was the more recent events of the afternoon, Hans being struck in the heart by Elsa's magic and that _an act of true love will thaw a frozen heart_ that confused Eugene, not so much that (evidently) their dreams were based off distant memories.

"Wait, wait, wait…hold up. You're tell us that. That. What? Exactly?" Eugene's rambling halts unexpectedly as he raises a finger signaling _'pause'_ as he empties his crystal tumbler of scotch in a single gulp.

Rapunzel rolls her eyes with a sigh as she looked at Anna before glaring at her husband, " _Eugene_. Slow down. You don't need to drink for you _and_ Hans tonight. Seriously."

Kristoff huffs a laugh as he easily keeps pace with the American, pouring another round from the decanter before the girls can protest. Eugene nods appreciatorily to Kristoff before sitting back down bedside his rather irritated wife, pursing his lips before clarifying, "Your sister sent Hans to bed early, because she froze his heart. And thawed it back out. All with her 'magic'." Eugene looks back to Anna for confirmation, "But he's fine?"

Anna shrugs slightly, "Apparently?"

Eugene is obviously confused, or perhaps it's dissatisfaction with Anna's explanation written in his features. "Then why is he in bed instead of hanging out with me?"

Rapunzel leans over, voice artificial and staged, "Oh, I don't know. What could two people do…alone…in bed…when they love each other very much?"

Anna glances back at Kristoff who appears amused, his smirk dropping and blush rising when he catches her gaze.

Kristoff leans over the davenport to kiss Anna's cheek before whispering quietly, "Come on, cut Eugene some slack. Hans has been his best friend for years, and honestly this is all a bit much to take in at one time."

Anna sighs, twisting to look over her shoulder at him as he presses his weight on his forearms, resting along the back of the davenport. "Why doesn't any of this bother you, anyway? Aren't you just a little freaked out?"

Kristoff's grin pulls mischievous for a moment before he chuckles, "Princess, evidently I was raised by trolls. I've just learned to roll with it."

Eugene's voice booms, "And you two were married? Like, seriously? How weird is that, finding out the person you've been seeing for a little while was your spouse!" He crosses his arms in mock contemplation and cocks and eyebrow, "May I ask a personal question?"

In unison, Anna and Rapunzel snap his name in a cautious tone.

"Fine. But consider this; you've been dating someone for just a little while and never been _intimate,_ but all the sudden you remember…"

Kristoff coughs awkwardly as he stands, eyes wide and embarrassed as the blush blooms brightly, "Okay, Eugene's cut off now."

* * *

It's too early.

The slight dilution of the midnight sky that signals the break of dawn isn't even flirting with the eastern horizon, yet Hans' dreams have been replaced with an awareness of extremely fidgety limbs that insist on bumping him. His eyelids are still heavy with sleep, so he resolves to keep his eyes closed and damper the nudging by rolling closer to the offending bedmate and subduing her in his embrace. For good measure he throws a leg over hers, successfully stilling her.

A soft, muted whimper registers and his eyes pry open, finding a very dark room and Elsa trapped in his arms with her face buried in his chest. "Hey," he croaks softly as he brushes wisps of blonde hair from her face, "Why so restless? Is there a pea under your mattress, Princess?"

Hans waits for her to confess why she's miserable as he runs his fingers through her soft hair, his eyes drift close as the silence stretches and her warmth seeps into his skin. Elsa eventually just shakes her head slightly, "Sorry I woke you. My mind won't turn off and let me sleep." She starts tracing lines and patterned angles on his bare chest above his heart, evidently not anxious to explain any further. He presses his lips gently to her forehead with a sigh, "You're being too hard on yourself. You're really doing brilliantly and I'm quite proud of you."

Elsa grunts inelegantly, "I don't think freezing your heart is _'doing brilliantly'."_

"And you thawed it. That counts, right?"

A quiet hum of disgruntled agreement is her only response as Hans begins to reposition and encourages, "Roll over, I'm going to be big spoon." He catches sight of the hand that wipes roughly at her eyes as she complies, accompanied by a quick sniffle. They settle, Elsa snuggling firmly to him and sliding a cool foot between his legs as she grabs his arm and wraps it around herself but the tension in her shoulders and chest remains.

His warm breath husks over the shell of Elsa's ear, "I love you."

Her shoulders deflate immediately, a rush of breath without words. His stomach drops with a sickening twist when she stutters silently and he realizes that she hasn't spoken those words to him all day. The revelation sits cold in his chest and spreads like poison as he assures Elsa softly, "S'okay, you don't have to say it if you don't trust that you believe it."

Her silence is like a knife tearing at his heart as he presses a kiss to her damp cheek as she gives up hiding her tears from him, "No, Hans. It's just that…"

Although he's sure his voice is laced with disappointment he interrupts her, "I don't need honeyed words to know you love me, Elsa. You chose to stay by my side and comfort me this afternoon in your panic rather than flee, and you've kept me close all night rather than banish me to a guestroom like you've threatened all week… _acts of true love._ "

Elsa suddenly bolts upright and turns to face him, pressing him back into the mattress and hovering over him with hands firmly planted on his chest, "Why are you so trusting? After everything I've done and everything you've remembered, how could you still want me to love you?"

He blinks, wishing it weren't so dark – Elsa's far more difficult to read when he can't see her clearly. Her question genuinely confuses him, "I don't understand."

Her voice is small and rushed but holds steady despite how fragile it sounds, "I'm dangerous! You want to have a family. Babies."

_What?_

At his silence she adds, "Aren't you terrified I will accidently hurt them with my magic? Like I did Anna? Like I did you?"

_She's afraid of herself._

Hans gently pulls her down to him and captures her into his arms, she resists weakly before releasing a soft sob and collapsing onto his chest. He chuckles, "No, Elsa. It's not something I am worried about in the least." He flattens a warm palm against her back and beings to rub slowly, "Are you terrified I will accidently drop a baby?"

She scoffs, "No. That's absurd and in no way comparable."

"Really?" His tone is neutral as he attempts to pursued, "The accident in your hypothetical situation would be due to your magic and my hypothetical situation due to the force of gravity. Evidently each are real, always present. And evidently each carry potential danger."

She pushes herself back up insisting, "What?! That's not the same. I _am_ dangerous, just ask Eric."

He can't help but smirk, humor spilling into his voice, "Don't take this the wrong way, but that klutz basically slipped on ice. Gravity is to blame for his injury. _Potentially dangerous gravity_."

Elsa stills, "You're…" She groans and runs a frustrated hand through her hair, "You are so infuriating, you know that? And your logic is asinine."

The darkness of the room masks his bright smile as he tries _very_ hard to remain silent, suspecting victory in their debate regarding the accidental dangers of Elsa vs. gravity.

Elsa lies down beside him, practically pouring herself into him as she grumbles something about _him_ and _ridiculous_ and _battle of_ _wits_ (pretty much in that order). The satisfied moan that catches in the back of throat surprises him somewhat as she settles, having not realizing how tightly wound he feels (and embarrassed about how much he adores arguing with her).

Her leg inadvertently brushes over his arousal as she repositions herself and she pauses, "You're turned on by this?"

He laughs at how incredulous she sounds, "Ah, yes and _no._ I am a lawyer, Elsa. By definition I like to debate. And you are absolutely gorgeous when you get frustrated with me, your cheeks flush adorably and your eyes grow dark and dilate… you argue with _passion_ , regardless of if you have strong logic or not…Ah, _well…_ we are laying intimately together, only partially clothed and in the privacy of your bed."

Elsa just stares at him.

"What you said, it's sort of a turn on," he finally admits.

Elsa just shakes her head and sighs, "Go back to sleep, Sweet Prince."

He can feel her smile hidden in his skin as she pulls closer and stills, the rise of her chest falling in time with his silently. The room falls silent again and his eyes drift closed, trying not to focus on the dull ache in his chest.

* * *

They fall asleep, although Elsa can't seem to stay that way. Hans awakens to her propped up on an elbow and looking down at him very seriously. "Is that pea back again?" he grumbles with a slight smile and soft sleepy eyes that flutter closed once they meet hers, a heavy hand pressing to the small of her back to hold her to him.

Her voice is quiet as it rushes, _"I love you, Hans."_

Hans mouth pulls into a content smile as he wraps his arms tightly around her and rolls himself over her to bury himself into the crook of her neck, his eyes stinging with tears before shutting tightly, startled slightly at how her words affect him. He nuzzles her neck as the cool ache in his chest warms, "I love you, too."

Elsa wraps her arms up and under his and holds tightly to his bare shoulders, pressing her mouth to his flesh and loosing herself momentarily in the scent of his soap and sleep that lingers on his skin, threatening to engulf her. She mumbles something he couldn't make out then pauses before she chuckles slightly before saying whatever it was again. Eventually she manages to mumble clearly enough for him to catch, "I'm late."

Hans pulls his head back a fraction to catch her profile with heavy eyes but Elsa twists her head and attempts to hide in his shoulder as she repeats herself, "I'm late…my cycle. I should have started."

She turns to look at him, his eyes now wide and searching her face as his jaw slacked slightly. She watches him watching her cautiously with her breath held, realizing his is caught as well. Eventually he blinks and he release air, tipping his head closer to her and staring intently like trying to read between the lines.

_Say something, Hans._

Instead he clenches his jaw tightly and reaches for her, but rests a hand beside her head on the pillow and grunts unintelligibility as his shoulders fall with a small twist of his lips.

Elsa begins to smile at the thought that she has left Hans speechless, perhaps for the first time in his life, "How eloquent of you."

She's not disappointed in his reaction to her teasing, the way his eyes sparkle for a heartbeat before he exhales overwhelmed and almost hopeful, "A tiny us?"

She blinks.

"That we made?" he almost squeaks.

His words derail her panic and shift her perspective in a heartbeat, a pleasant fluttering in her stomach.

_…a tiny us. That we made? A tiny, innocent, perfect life?_

He continues to stare intensely as he presses his lips together and the excitement fades. Suddenly she's acutely aware of the fact he's try to resist being influenced by her emotions and she feels terrible for her shame and disappointment at the possibility that she may be carrying their child. "I'm sorry, you didn't want this," he whispers.

_Oh no…her first spoken words about her (possible) child can't be that she didn't want him or her like this._

Elsa gently traces her thumb over the carved crease in his frown and manages (albeit somewhat breathlessly), "No. Just. I'm having trouble trying to convince myself that my panic and my anxiety doesn't get to influence _this. You do…we chose this. Together."_ She pauses when Hans' sorrow refuses to disappear and she drops her hands beside her head at the pillow as she shrugs, "And, I don't know for sure if I am pregnant yet. But that's been the pea under the mattress that has me restless."

Hans blinks, "You haven't had a pregnancy test done yet?"

Something about his question strikes her as funny and her lips quirk slightly as she playfully explains, "No, it's the middle of the night. I'm not sure the Royal Physician would appreciate a random phone call at O-dark-thirty requesting his presence to determine if I am pregnant or not."

In a flash he's clumsily scrambling out of bed and drops to the nightstand he's claimed, pulling open a drawer and rummaging in the dark. Elsa finds it a bit alarming, but bites her tongue and just watches him with curiosity as she sits up. Triumphantly he huffs as he finds whatever it is he is looking for before offering her his hand to help her out of bed. She's sure her confusion would be more evident if the light was on as she stands, absolutely perplexed as to what is supposed to happen next.

"May I?" He asks so adorably sheepish her heart flutters in the worst and _most wonderful_ ways.

She nods her head with a quiet _okay_. Before she can get her bearings Hans is scooping her into his arms and dropping a box in her hands as he begins a march to the bathroom.

_A home pregnancy test._

Bewildered she manages, "Why do you have this in the nightstand, Hans!?"

"Impulse purchase. With the condoms and vitamins. All that stuff was in the same section so I thought, _Hey. Why not?"_ She can see his satisfied smirk as he continues, putting her down on the countertop in the bathroom, "Luck favors the prepared, you know."

"Luck?"

"Yes, lucky for you that now you can pee on that thing or whatever it is you do to figure out if you are pregnant and can go back to sleep knowing yes or no. And maybe not be a zombie in the morning for your final rehearsal for the coronation and the family brunch and confronting my dad. What luck, right?"

She stares blankly at him prompting concern to dance across his features, "Do you know how to do that? I just assumed it involved…" He stops rambling, as if resetting his brain, "Should I wait in bed for you? Do you want me or need me to help?"

Her mind races after what he's just asked, somewhere the thought that she isn't caffeinated enough for any of this makes itself known before his sarcastic humor plows over it in her voice - _Help? Pee on a stick? I think I got this, Hans._ She realizes she's literally just staring at him, if the light was on she is sure they would both be bright red with embarrassment.

Instead a soft bubble of nervous laughter echoes off the bathroom walls, "Um, I think I can use the toilet myself." Resisting the twist of a smile as she opens the box and removes the tightly folded instructions, becoming slightly alarmed that perhaps there is more to it than peeing on a stick.

"Okay."

Hans glances down at his feet before raising his chin and repeating, "Okay."

He turns, leaving her alone in the bathroom to sort things out as she frowns at the damn instructions.

* * *

The strange strangled sound escapes her lips and fills the silent bathroom, loud enough to bring Hans charging through the door without knocking and finding her facing the countertop with her arms braced wide leaning over and staring at the pregnancy test kit. She huffs as her eyes flutter closed and her head tilts over her shoulder at him, "Hans…"

"Elsa," he quips boldly, approaching her from behind without apprehension and wrapping his arms tightly around her waist as he drops his mouth to her neck. "Well?"

Her eyes fly open as she gazes into the mirror to watch his reaction but her brain freezes in horror – he has a streak of white highlighting his hair.

_WHY? WHEN? HE DIDN'T HAVE THAT WHEN WE WENT TO SLEEP!_

"Your…" she starts, but chokes on the words as her heart attempts to beat out her chest suddenly, hot panic taking hold and incapacitating her. If he weren't holding her up, she's sure she'd be reduced to a pile on the bathroom floor.

Hans presses a warm kiss to her neck as he looks over her shoulder onto the countertop, his smile twisting into her skin as he breathes, "You're…"

She tries again to grunt out something about his hair, terrified for his life she whispers, "Your h – "

His soft voice is laced with hope and disbelief and _joy, "You're going to be a mother!"_


	33. Chapter 33

One look at Hans in the bright mid-day light and it was obvious why friends and family were called to Elsa's private chambers with the fireplace ablaze and a small old troll standing before of the group. Hans' flesh ice cold and leaving him too weak to support himself he lay in Elsa's arms, his hair turned white…

Desperate, and looking for a miracle, Elsa felt hopeless and raw and _terrified._ Why Hans was so calm and so thoughtful as he essentially _froze to death,_ she couldn't understand. The emotional avalanche beneath her feet left her fallen and buried and in a horrible place – pressing the palm of her hand to her chest, she was sure she could feel her own heart - too cold and unable to thaw, slicking up her throat to choke her. And she felt terribly awful and selfish about it.

_Everything. They've tried everything. Even the ridiculous…_

She was pretty sure Hans was just being ridiculous when he begged her, _"Make love to me…an act of true love, right?"_ Afterwards, as he caught he breath again he chuckled seductively, _"Well, it didn't hurt to try…"_ Her response was to roll her eyes as she smacked his chest as the tears fell. "How is what we have not real? True love? Is it only magic?" He smiled as he wiped her tears away, "Shhh…of course it's real. Just not what's needed to reverse the freeze. Please don't doubt my love for you, Elsa. I will do everything in my power to keep you and our tiny, innocent us safe and by my side. I promise you both."

They met privately with his parents, bringing everything out and into the open without terse, sharp words but rather with patience and grace. His father admitting to what he had done, his motives, everything. And apologized to Hans and Elsa, promising to make amends and asking to be allowed the opportunity to earn their trust and respect and love once more. Hans spoke with compassion and understanding and forgiveness to his father, bringing his father to tears as they embraced each other…just as Hans' hair completed the transformation to white and wisps of icy fractals appearing under his skin.

_Hans' heart remained frozen…leading to Grand Pabbie addressing the group again._

"Prince Hans, I regret I cannot fix this. There is ice in your heart, put there by Her Highness. Only an act of true love can thaw it, I am afraid."

Frustrated to not be getting anywhere with Grand Pabbie, Elsa pleads, "We tried, and nothing seems to have worked. There has to be something else that can be done."

He sighed wearily, shaking his head, "As I told Princess Anna at the time of your coronation in Arendelle, I cannot. It's not a matter of how much one is loved by others, or how well they are loved. The same holds true in this world."

Something struck Elsa about speaking with the elder troll; his responses were veiled, left open to interpretation and vague, reminding her of the fairytales of genies in lamps and of the imp-like creatures who offer wishes and magic but twist them into curses. She scoffed frustrated under her breath as she cradled Hans in her arms as her own chest grows colder, "This world…"

Grand Pabbie's words felt like poison in her mouth as they rolled around on her tongue, "This world…the one I cursed us all to." Elsa's eyes are drawn back to her hand woven tightly with Hans' and cradled to his chest, her engagement ring twinkling in the light and her stomach twisting sickeningly. His flesh had grown almost devoid of color as he trembled and shivered in response to being frozen alive.

_This world…_

_THIS WORLD._

Elsa's head snapped up as she demanded, "Send us back. To Arendelle."

Hans coughed, confusion etched on his face as he whispered, " _What?"_

Her eyes darted frantically between Hans and the old troll, grasping at fleeting thoughts. "Grand Pabbie…you sent us here. Can you send us back to where we came from? Back to when we left? It wouldn't be undoing or erasing the past. Just, picking up where we left off?"

Grand Pabbie stood silently, eyes raising and surveying the room. Thoughtfully and cautiously he replied, "Yes, Your Highness. _I could_. But…"

"If we were to return to where and when we started from, Hans will no longer have my ice in his heart? He'll be okay? He'll live?"

"Yes, but all of you would remember this world, all that has happened. Then you would be left to live out your lives in Arendelle and wherever else you had come from."

Elsa looked to their friends and family, whispers of support and agreement came, encouraging Elsa to have Grand Pabbie bring them back to what was once their lives.

Hans' dissent startled Elsa back from her hope, "No. _Elsa, no_."

"Hans, it's the only way for you to live…" she says gently, but with finality. "I can't live without you, I love you. We all do."

 _"NO."_ He drops his gaze to her belly as he wets his lips, his voice rough and weak, "The baby?"

"Oh…" Elsa frowned, her brow pulled tightly as her mind stopped suddenly, "But. We'll still be together. We'll be wed, and a baby will come. Hans…. _it's the only way._ " She smiles weakly as she nods her head, looking to Grand Pabbie to validate her words.

"No," Hans shakes his head like trying to break free of chains that bind him. "Our…our _tiny, perfect, innocent us…_ isn't in Arendelle. He or she is here. We can't lose…I can't…I promised to keep him or her, _tiny us_ , safe. I won't risk a life to save my own _. I promised…"_

"Elsa? What is he talking about?" Anna asked softly.

_The silence in the room was deafening to Elsa's ears…the pounding rush of blood so loud she couldn't hear herself THINK._

Hans remained silent, shivering and looking at Elsa with nothing but love in his eyes. Patiently waiting for his fate.

Determined to draw on his strength and love and excitement at the news of the pregnancy, she took a measured breath and murmured with as much endearment as she could, "I'm pregnant, Anna."

As soon as the words were out she decided they were _wrong. "We're pregnant,"_ Elsa corrected, unwilling to tear her eyes from Hans' as her lips twist into a sad smile before pulling him closer to her chest and resting her forehead to his.

Anna's wasn't the only gasp heard, "Oh."

Grand Pabbie spoke quietly, "The unborn child will be unable to come to Arendelle. It will be lost, Your Highness."

Elsa's jaw clenched tightly as she lifts her head angrily, "I have to choose?"

Hans tenderly wrapped a trembling cold arm around her as he nuzzled her throat, pressing _frozen_ lips to her clavicle before resting his head in her arms, "No, you don't. There is no choice for you to make. I got to live my dream with you. Elsa, _WE_ choose our baby, _WE can't choose me_."

"I can't do this, any of this, without you…" she confessed quietly.

"Elsa, of course you can. You have family who love you, friends who care. I'll be there with you in your dreams, as I was before. As I will always be." His eyes drift closed and he stilled.

Her jaw clenched, grinding out, "Grand Pabbie, send us back!"

 _"NO!"_ Hans insisted faintly, turning his head and opening his eyes determinedly at Grand Pabbie.

"But…you're turning to solid ice," Elsa whimpered as she place the palm of her hand at his jaw to draw his face back to hers. She dropped her forehead, pressing it to his frozen flesh, "I love you, I can't let…"

" _I love you both._ Let me go, knowing you both will be safe here," his breath a frozen plume, feathering and swirling like smoke into the still air of the chamber, flesh now ridged and solid. The light of the chamber and flickering of the fire reflected and twinkled off his frozen form silently.

" _No...no…no…_ " Elsa's gasping sobs rang out desperately throughout the stunned room as she clutched his frozen frame.


	34. Chapter 34

The choir sings their hymn of forgiveness and redemption from the loft overhead, beautifully powerful voices lifting praises to God in the heavens above.

Remorse and anguish wash over Queen Elsa of Arendelle, settling in her stomach with a twinge of nausea as she sits stiffly beside Prince Hans in the front pew for Sunday morning service at the Arendelle Castle chapel. Elsa sits staring unfocused, eyes fixed and cast down at his gloved hands that are neatly folded atop her hymnal that he has rested in his lap. She's simply lost in thought, wondering what his hands look like underneath the pristine white gloves. She can't remember for certain, but she knows they are large, very warm, and so gentle. Evidently she took for granted the ability to gaze upon his skin in their former world. She realizes this as he now sits formal and perfect, in more layers than she can currently account for, every inch of flesh hidden.

Her eyes sting slightly as she remembers her fingers twining with his so perfectly the first time she sat beside him at her Church in New York, his palm a bit sweaty if she recalls correctly, but holding hands with Hans Westergaard was quite wonderful, really. Her lips twist sadly at that thought.

But here they sit not touching. Like they have sat every Sunday for the last four months. It's been four months and another world since she's held his hand, let alone known his touch, his bare flesh firm and warm against hers.

_(That's not entirely true - their hands were held as they were wed, rings slipped onto fingers with pledges and vows exchanged before God and country.)_

She's painfully aware of how...alone...she feels despite the fact he is right by her side. Just as he promised. Keeping her safe and supporting her, although he's been hurt and left doubting if he can know what love is. The hymn ends and the Bishop approaches the altar to conclude the service and they rise, along with the rest of the congregation, accepting the final blessing before carrying on with life as they now know it.

_It's lonely. And Hans is still frozen in a way..._

Queen Elsa glances up at his profile with a sad smile, her _Sweet Prince_ illuminated in the morning light streaming through the stained glass windows and looking ethereally beautiful and proud with his chin raised. Hans glances down to her, meeting her eyes as his expression shifts, something clouding his eyes and triggering him to swallowing thickly. She knows what that something is, and once more she whispers her apologies as sincerely as she can.

Apologies for his silent prayer that their tiny us may be safely cradled in the Lord's arms. Because they will forever be unable to. Because of her.

_(DREAM Hans echoes his words spoken on the frozen fjord during her Eternal Winter that tear and rip and claw at her, "Your baby is dead. Because of YOU." REAL Hans offers her his forgiveness, which she feels she doesn't deserve, and keeps her at a safe distance, which she feels she does deserve. But she hates it.)_

Stepping out into the bright mid-morning light, the Queen and her Prince consort greet and pleasantly chat with the other parishioners, accepting belated congratulations and well wishes for their marriage last month with smiles. She catches the way Hans watches Kristoff, holding his squirming daughter awkwardly as Anna smiles proudly and speaks with animated arms to those who stop to gaze excitedly at the infant Princess. And she catches the way Anna's smile shrinks as she echoes the joyful wishes and hopeful words that the Queen to be blessed with an heir of her own very soon.

Anna knows better.

Anna had been honest since their return, sharing her opinion that that Elsa hadn't allowed any time for Hans to thaw once he was frozen solid, reminding Elsa, _"I remained frozen solid for a time before thawing. It didn't happen right away!"_

Anna believed firmly that Hans' act of true love was sacrificing himself for his unborn child. That his other "acts" weren't truly active, but rather passive expressions of love and that was why they didn't work to thaw his heart. Anna insists that if she had gone to Kristoff for her true love's kiss that afternoon on the fjord, she would have frozen solid and never thawed.

Hans agreed.

And was plunged into a dark depression, desperately trying not to shut Elsa out (but not opening himself to her, either.

Anna and Hans spend many quiet afternoons talking as she cradles her new daughter lovingly in her arms, Hans confessing his fears that Elsa was right about them.  "Like a fool I wouldn't listen. It's only magic. It's not real."

Elsa blinks, thoughts returning to the moment as the Bishop shakes hands with Hans and nods his head to bow to her, returning to the chapel. As Elsa expects, Hans politely excuses himself from her company as the church goers disperse, a pleasant and thoughtful mask fixed to his features that only Elsa seems to see through as he takes her bare hand and ghosts his lips to her knuckles, not meeting her gaze.

_"My Queen."_

* * *

_Nights are the hardest, the ramifications of her choices playing out..._

Lying awake in a cold, lone bed, embraced by the emptiness that she stopped fighting months ago. But he suffers the same fate each night, kissing her softly and whispering, "I always have and always will love you, regardless of what you believe may be true. I just need time."

She's not sure who he is trying to convince, him or her.  She respects that. But she really does love him.

Truly.  Madly.  Deeply.

That is why they are here. Hans can't seem to trust that, however.

Her mind replays his words in the silence of her bedchamber _, "It is different here, Elsa."_

That was murmured in her ear their first night back in Arendelle, Hans' voice full of anguish and heartache and pain after he clung to her for hours, heartbroken over their return and what Elsa had given up to save him. She begged him to stay with her, to allow her to fall asleep in his arms after almost losing him forever. _"_

 _It is different here - you remember. We can't share a bed until after we wed."_   She stood staring at him, unable to argue and realizing that of course things would be different, she was foolish for thinking otherwise.

She smiled weakly and kissed his cheek, _"Yes, of course, my Sweet Prince."_

The excuses evolved following the marriage, but the results are the same.

_Solitude.  A kingdom of isolation…_

She suspects he is fearful to be alone with her, fearful of becoming overwhelmed with desires of the flesh and losing himself and his walls that he's put up around his heart after she destroyed it. And fearful of her conceiving once more, after she blatantly disregarded his wishes after he begged for her to save their unborn, newly conceived child whom they had only known of for hours before he froze to death.

Because of her.

She took a gamble coming back to Arendelle, and lost them both, really. Lost that which she held dear and that which could make life worthwhile. And she's ready to admit that she's lost hope for Hans to return to her...

Her soft sobs echoes off the cold walls of the bedchamber, tears falling in time with the gentle patter of rain on the leaded window pane until she can't any longer. Exhausted and raw she yet again waits for sleep to take her, listening to the silence. Then she feels it.

_A bizarre...sensation?_

Low in her belly, like a fluttering. Something she's never felt before.

Gas?  

 _No..._ _That's not right._

Elsa's eyes fly open as her cold hand presses firmly to the hard, faint rise of her pelvis that sits well below her belly button (her hand cups it perfectly), and she waits.  
And she wonders why her bladder is so hard.

_THAT'S weird._

Her breath hitches as she feels it again, for just a few seconds but she feels it.

Her mind races, putting together random things she's observed about herself since returning to Arendelle, suddenly seeming not so random. Her nausea (easily explained by her stress and anxiety), her fatigue (depression), the slight change in the curve of her belly (lack of exercise - she hasn't been on a run since they returned to Arendelle), having to pee all the time (just hyperaware of the different bathrooms and thinking about it every time she needs the toilet), and, well…no menstrual cycle (she somehow hadn't thought much of that...not wishing to ponder the feminine supply issue).

In the blink of an eye she's tossed the layers of covers aside and thrown open her bedchamber door with a loud 'thud', shattering the silence. Her bare feet pad across the cool wood floors as her nightgown swishes at her ankles, racing to Hans' bedchamber that sits across the private hall connecting the two rooms. She halts as she finds him opening his door before she can knock, the moonlight spilling through storm clouds and in through the windows, casting brightly upon his eyes, tired and raw and terribly startled to find Elsa just outside his door. Her heart thuds painfully in her chest as she hears his voice, soft concern poorly hidden behind the stoic mask of control he wears for her these days.

"Hey, are you okay?" Hans murmurs.

"I don't know..."

She gazes lovingly into his eyes as she murmurs gently with a genuine smile, pressing her palms flat to his warm bare chest and pushing him back into his bedchamber to sit him down on his bed. Somewhere in the back of her mind she is relieved that he hasn't begun sleeping in a nightshirt…just a loose pair of breeches. She grabs his hand and places his bare fingers firmly to where the hard slope of her belly was when she was lying flat and had felt the fluttering (it is much less obvious while she is standing up). His hand in hers, warm and bare, sends hot tendrils of desire careening up her arm to engulf her suddenly.

Hans stutters before holding his breath, she catches the way his eyes darken and mirror hers…he feels the same pull and arousal as she stands between his legs in a thin nightgown, swollen breasts obvious thanks to the low neckline of the gown (she had not noticed the way they have changed – her ice gown just forms to her, evidently adjusting as needed). Hans keens a sigh as he gazes at her new curves (not having seen her in such a state of undress since returning to Arendelle), and she can practically feel his eyes caressing her. If she wasn't trying to get him to feel whatever it is that she felt (the strange fluttering), she'd press him back into the mattress and see how far he would allow her to go with him before he sends her back to her room.

  
"Elsa," he practically scolds after he catches his thoughts, eyes darting between hers and his trapped fingers pressed low on her belly. When she feels the fluttering but he doesn't react, she huffs and pulls the hem of her nightgown up and repositions his hand to her now naked pelvis. She hold her breath and waits silently, staring into his confused (and aroused) eyes that refuse to look down at her now exposed form. She frowns as she realizes this is the most intimate they've been in Arendelle. She feels the aching cold bloom and grow heavy through her as she offers his name on her lips like a prayer. She readies herself to apologize for being absurd and worrying him before retreating embarrassed to her room as she feels it again.

  
_Flutter...flutter...thud._

  
Before she can ask Hans if he could feel that under his fingertips, his eyebrows shoot up comically as his mouth falls open with a grunt. She feels it again and giggles as Hans' expression grows more startled.

"How eloquent of you," she teases happily, daring him to say something.

Hans' brow creases with concern, eyes now firmly fixed on his fingers pressed to her bare pelvis before he manages, "Is that normal? Are you okay?"

Elsa murmurs as she gently shakes her head, "Not normal…I've never felt anything like this before."

_Flutter…_

Hans' becomes worried, "Elsa…"

"Hans..." she quips.

She swallows before leaning over him and pressing her trembling lips to his forehead, her body defying her resolve not to touch him after having craved his touch for months, a hand tracing the thick of his shoulder, "I. I think it's…I mean, just. That. A baby. I think that's our baby moving…"

Hans grunts again with wide eyes.

"I don't know how, or why. But I'm still pregnant."

Hans gasps before stilling himself, silent and lost in thought. Eventually he manages in a very small voice, "Grand Pabbie said…"

She releases his hand from hers, cupping his jaw tenderly and interrupting him with a kiss that sends bursts of excitement and desire and magic through her as he eagerly responds, chasing her tongue before smearing his mouth along hers and down her neck, lying back and pulling her onto the bed. He rolls over her and traps her beneath him.

"Oh god, I'm so sorry…Elsa. I didn't. I shouldn't have. The time we've lost together - "

She sighs, her lips curling upward as he stumbles through an apology that is wildly out of place and unnecessary, "Hans. Stop." She tangles her fingers between his before pressing his palm to the odd hard lump that rises from her pelvis (not her bladder).

Hans giggles her name and snaps his head down to look, brushing his thumb back and forth over one of her knuckles, " _My Queen..."_ His warm breath tickles her brow as he settles firmly beside her, "Why didn't you tell me sooner? Look at you! You're pregnant! You're…you…you've changed." The press of his lips is soft and almost reverent, "You're…how is it that you are more beautiful than you were before?"

Elsa finds herself mortified. _How does a woman NOT KNOW she's carrying a child?_

He doesn't release her hand, rather he brings their tangled fingers up to his lips to kiss gently. "You didn't know, did you?"

_I'm a horrible mother…_

She frowns, "No."

"In your defense, we were told that we would lose the baby if we came back. And I have seen you every day and not noticed anything that couldn't be explained away easily," Hans chuckles with a slight shake to his head. "Although, it is no one's fault but my own that I haven't seen you like this. I like to think that these changes wouldn't have snuck up on me. Fuller breasts, the curve of your belly…." He ghosts a hand across the thin fabric pulled taut over her breast, marveling at the way her body responds to his touch even through the nightgown, _"Wow."_

Her lips quirk a smile, "Again, how eloquent of you." Her teasing is cut off by the hiss of air she draws as his hand covers a breast, so sensitive that his palm brands and fingers searing heat to course through her bones.

Hans huffs a laugh as he sighs, "One could say the same to you, My Queen." He repositions Elsa in his bed before pulling the linens up and over them before his hand wanders up and under her nightgown, "If I may be so bold, I think the best nightgown would be no nightgown."

"Ah," she grins in response, urging herself closer and tangling their legs. "But poor Gerda will be flustered in the morning to find me missing from my bed, with no nightgown."

"I have no objections to moving this party to your room," he whispers thickly in her ear as he sucks at the flesh of her neck.

Probably a good idea.

"But you would still be missing your nightgown."

Elsa fists a hand through his soft hair, a quiet moan her only response as she tries to steady him.

"I'll take that for _'maybe later'_?"

She hums her agreement before her voice swears softly, "I love you, Hans."

"I know," his smile smeared to her skin, mischievous and playful, "I told you so."

"That's not what you are supposed to say," Elsa scolds weakly, her hands cradling his face to cart his gaze back to her as a laugh slips past her lips.

The gleam in his eyes is so familiar, intense and pulling as it meets hers, as if looking into her soul. He blinks finally, before wetting his lips and breathes, voice full of wonder, "I love you, Elsa."


	35. Super Bowl

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Post-Once Upon a Dream; what if Hans misses football? He was raised as an American guy, after all! This was just something fun, made me giggle. Let me know what you think!

Elsa's voice is low - scolding, "Hans!"

Arendelle's Prince Consort fails to even offer a glance in her direction.

Instead, the man spreads his arms wide, gregarious bounce to his step as the brown, pigskin ball lands in the arms of one of the guards (her personal guard, just to be clear, who's evidently abandoned his post to do Hans' bidding). One of many he's recruited to play his ridiculous game.

"YES!" Hans cheers, running straight into the mass of writhing bodies piling themselves in futility to acquire said pigskin ball, on garden lawn. "That's what I'm talkin' 'bout!"

Elsa has half a mind to drop a pile of snow upon everyone, to remind them that they are Arendellian - they behave more civilized than this.

But frankly dropping a pile of snow doesn't strike her as particularly more civilized, so she resists the urge.

The sudden obsession over this scrimmage game involving an oblong leather ball began shortly after Hans' return from Scotland two months ago, and the revelation that a game similar to American football exists in this world.

Elsa cringes as a large, wall-like man suddenly takes Hans to the ground during the next play, when he wasn't quick enough to rid himself of the blasted object. Or so she guesses, having never watched American football in her former life. Or whatever this is, in this life.

"He's going to hurt himself, you know." Anna sighs, suddenly materializing beside Elsa on the balcony overlooking the bizarre display that has become an afternoon ritual as the summer has worn on. For what it's worth, she looks equally displeased. She studies the way Hans gingerly rolls his shoulder, wincing at the motion.

"Not before ruining the lawn." Elsa mutters. The pox marks are now visible from the balcony, and the gardeners have been most disgruntled over the present state of affairs.

"So - are you going to talk to him?" Anna drawls. "Just asking, 'cause he's got Kristoff recruiting some goon from Corona to play defensive lineman."

Elsa glances at Anna who looks confused.

"I'm not even sure what that means." Anna confesses.

"Nor I. But I think it's time."

                        oOo

"Babe - can you frost my shoulder please?" Hans has the nerve to actually whine as he lays beside her in bed, ignoring entirely her displeased glare.

Despite that, she won't allow him to suffer.

It's not as if he's neglected his duties, per say. He's doing this in his free time, when Elsa is busy, or otherwise needing time to herself.

It's just that he's acting like an idiot. On a now daily basis.

"So I'm thinking of trying to spread the game around," Hans says. "Maybe have a tournament."

Elsa pauses her ministrations over his shoulder, frost thawing momentarily. "A what?"

"You know, like a championship tournament. I won't call it the Super Bowl, of course, but it could catch on..."

Elsa knows she's being petty - however that doesn't stop her from unleashing her ice across his entire back, with a smirk.

Hans is absolutely offended, "What was that for?"

"Act your age. You're too old for such nonsense." Elsa says flatly.

Hand cocks an eyebrow.

"And you are ruining my lawns."

He stares at her.

"You can't keep trying to smash each other over a toy ball there."

Hans blinks.

"You're a genius." Hans says in awe, genuine awe. "Why didn't I think to make a proper field in the first place?!"

Elsa catches his eye and he's alight with excitement. Not at all offended.

She rolls her eyes, "No."

"But it will preserve your lawn - and you won't have to watch as I exercise."

Elsa actually likes that part, especially when he'a stripped himself of various layers because of the heat, revealing lean muscle and broad shoulders...

"It's not all bad." She catches herself saying, rather softly. Needy.

Hans is watching her carefully, sultry smile suddenly playing at his lips. "You like it when we play shirts and skins?"

She pauses, sinking teeth into her bottom lip. Oh how this conversation turned quickly.

"Does that refer to the times you play without most of your clothing on?" Elsa feels a little breathless.

"Yes," Hans smirks. "Skins."

"Oh bother." Elsa hums her response, blush blooming brightly, "The lawn will recover."

 


End file.
